Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Dragon Palace: Tawara Tōda Hidesato is Given Three Gifts

Utagawa Kuniyoshi; Publisher: Maruya KyūshirōLinkedCulture matchlcp-a44d14e70d68

Date: 1858, 4th month
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Department: Asian Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art
Object ID: 80766

From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record

Fujiwara no Hidesato was a legendary warrior said to have lived in the 10th century. Famous for his military exploits, he reportedly was asked by the dragon god, the guardian of Lake Biwa, to kill a giant centipede that was terrorizing the lake. After Hidesato accomplished the task, the dragon god invited him to his underwater palace where he presented the warrior with three gifts: a large bell, bolts of silk, and a bag of rice. Emerging from the water riding on the back of a large turtle, Hidesato is shown in this print on his way back from the visit to the underwater palace-shown in the background. Kuniyoshi's detailed depiction of the sea creatures that are swimming around Hidesato and carrying the gifts for him makes this surreal scene look surprisingly plausible. Japan, Asia

View at Minneapolis Institute of Art ↗

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.

Get printable QR codes

Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.

Open this page

See at Minneapolis Institute of Art