#1896, Photographed by Mary Elizabeth Kulesa, 2023
Recto
Name/Title
Maiden of Dojo Temple (Musume Dojoji)
Entry/Object ID
1896
Category
Print
Acquisition
Source (if not Accessioned)
Dr. Rosalind Schulman
Notes
Date: 1968
Means of Accession: Gift
Made/Created
Artist
Unidentified
Place
Country
Japan
Continent
Asia
Dimensions
Dimension Notes
H, W: 5 3/4x4 1/8 in; H, W: 14.8x10.5 cm
Height
5-3/4 in
Width
4-1/8 in
Height
14.8 cm
Width
10.5 cm
Exhibition
Curator Pick of the Month
Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Curator Pick of the Month
Label
For November, The Drexel Collection chose this intriguing piece from the collection’s extensive variety of Japanese woodblock prints. This print captures a moment from popular kabuki play, “The Maiden at the Dojo Temple”. In this scene, the young maiden transforms herself into a demon, after realizing that her love for a young priest is unrequited. On stage, a skillful actor would achieve the effect of the transformation through a rapid costume change by wearing multiple layers that could be easily removed.
General Notes
Note
SB 3/10/2015
This is a depiction of a scene from the popular Kabuki play, Musume Dojoji. In the play, a young girl falls in love with a young priest. Her love is unrequited and she does not understand why he cannot marry her. In rage, her true persona is revealed through dance and she turns into a demon/serpent and ends up killing him. This print shows the young girl as a demon. On stage, a skillful actor would achieve the effect of the transformation through a rapid costume change by wearing multiple layers that could be easily removed. This type of dance performances is where kabuki actors rivaled one another. (See similar: http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=S2004.3.128)
