Item: Japan: Achala - Achala
| Date Range | 1800 - 1899 |
|---|---|
| Lineages | Buddhist |
| Collection | Private |
Appearance: Wrathful
Gender: Male
Toyohara Kunichiwa, 1883. Prince Mongaku with Acala and his two side characters, Kongara and Seitaka beneath the Nachi waterfall.
Shinzo Shiratori 1-2022
*"This triptych depicts actors in four roles from the play Hashi Kuyo Bonji no Mongaku (The Austerities of Mongaku). At center is the actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX (1838-1903) in roles of both Fudo Myo-o and the Priest Mongaku. After accidentally murdering his cousin and lover Kesa Gozen at age 19, Mongaku becomes a wandering ascetic, eventually praying beneath the cold Nachi waterfalls in search of penance. After 21 days under the freezing water gripping a Buddhist bell between his teeth, the deity Fudo Myo-o emerges to relieve Mongaku of his suffering. On either side of Fudo Myo-o are actors in the roles of his two attendants. In the right panel, the actor Nakamura Shikan IV (1831-1899) is in the role of Kongara, and in the left panel Suketakaya Kosuke IV (Suketakaya Takasuke IV, 1838-1886) is the role of Seitaka. The three deities are often depicted in tandem."
"The Danjuro family worshipped the deity Fudo ever since an early Danjuro’s prayer to Acala for a child was answered. Their yago (eng. house-name) is for that reason 'Naritaya,' and the actors perform a ritual purification associated with Fudo at the Shinshoji waterfall. Naritaya is referring to the Shinshoji temple, where Fudo gained a lot of popularity in the 17th century." *Paragraph taken from https://www.scholten-japanese-art.com/kabuki_show_61.php
View other items in the Thematic Set: Japan: Achala (Fudo-myoo) Masterworks & National Treasures