МАЭ № 13-34/25

The House of the Deceased. Series “the Life of the Japanese”.

Japanese

1820-s

silk textile, Japanese watercolours, ink, Japanese washigami paper, glue

32.2 × 44.2

The list depicts a residence of an old man who has just died. The departed’s wife is weeping bitterly beside him. A monk is chanting Buddhist sutras. The folding screen beside his head is upside down (sakasa byobu) according to Japanese custom. At the gate of the residence a kago palanquin has arrived, and a doctor appears to be getting into it, taking off his waraji sandals. One of the porters keeps the door opened for him. The deceased’s son is coming out of the gate holding a red box (kusuri-ire medicine chest?). Two black ravens, symbols of death and misfortune, are sitting on the fence. The red leaves show that the season is autumn.

Ethnographic drawing