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In the Ruined Palace at Sōma
image overall
image overall

In the Ruined Palace at Sōma

Original Language Title相馬の古内裏
Artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797 - 1861)
CultureJapanese
Dateca. 1844
MediumWoodblock print; ink and color on paper
DimensionsImage: 14 3/8 × 29 7/8 inches (36.51 × 75.88 cm)
Credit LineGift of Yellow Freight System, Inc.
Object numberF90-12/18
On View
Not on view
Gallery Location
  • 222
Collections
Exhibition History

Sages and Heroes: Storytelling in Asian Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, April 12, 2025–November 30, 2025, no cat.

Gallery Label
Artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi was inspired by a mythical story based on a historical figure named Taira no Masakado of Sōma. He was a powerful warrior who led a rebellion but was ultimately defeated and killed in 939 C.E. In this scene, Taira no Masakado’s daughter, Takiyasha, summons her supernatural allies to carry out her revenge. While the original story says numerous skeletons appear, Kuniyoshi chose to amplify the horror by portraying a single giant skeleton. The towering figure intensifies the paranormal terror, demonstrating Takiyasha’s deadly power.
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