Tale of the Fox (Kitsune no sōshi)

1669

Not on view

From medieval times through the early Edo period, popular folktales, usually with Buddhist didactic motives, were frequent subjects in both handscroll and book formats. This example, The Tale of the Fox, is about a Buddhist monk who is seduced by a beautiful woman, only to discover that she is actually a mischievous fox. That a monk, who had taken a vow of celibacy, could not resist temptation served as a humorous moral admonition to readers.

Artwork Details

狐草紙
Title: Tale of the Fox (Kitsune no sōshi)
Artist: Unidentified painter and calligrapher
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: 1669
Culture: Japan
Medium: Handscroll: ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Image: 8 1/8 in. × 26 ft. 7 5/16 in. (20.6 × 811 cm)
Overall with mounting: 8 1/8 in. × 28 ft. 2 9/16 in. (20.6 × 860 cm)
Overall with knobs: 8 3/4 in. × 28 ft. 2 9/16 in. (22.2 × 860 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2020
Object Number: 2020.396.19
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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