Artwork

Sarutahiko from The Cave Door of Spring

Sarutahiko from The Cave Door of Spring, by Totoya Hokkei, 1825
Sarutahiko from The Cave Door of Spring, by Totoya Hokkei, 1825

Sarutahiko from The Cave Door of Spring is a print by the Romanticist artist Totoya Hokkei. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Sarutahiko from The Cave Door of Spring is a print from a set of five images depicting a scene from Shinto mythology.

Subject & Meaning

The print represents Sarutahiko, a guardian deity, emerging from a cave, referencing the legend of Amaterasu, the sun goddess who hid in a cave, plunging the world into darkness.

Technique & Style

The artist employed bold black lines and soft color blocks to create a dynamic scene, set against a blue evening sky with embossed clouds enriched with metallic pigments.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Totoya Hokkei

Artist

Totoya Hokkei

Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓; 1780–1850) was a Japanese artist best known for his prints in the ukiyo-e style.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.