No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow

by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

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No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Original Chikanobu (1838 - 1912) Japanese Woodblock Print
No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow

Series; Juxtaposed Pictures of Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety

Chikanobu's Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety - The Chinese scholar Guo Jujing wrote the book "The Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Devotion" during the Yuan Dynasty. Inspired by the loss of his own parents, he scoured history for examples of the most respectful and devoted children. Alluding to the famous stories of the twenty-four children and their extraordinary devotion to their parents and relatives, Chikanobu's series juxtaposes the paragon in the upper panel with a more modern equivalent below. The artist plays off the old stories, offering serious parallels as well as lighthearted and humorous contrasts in the modern versions.

No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow - The upper scene shows the Chinese boy Yu Shun receiving assistance in plowing his parents' fields from an elephant. According to legend, although his family was cruel to him, he worked the farm so diligently that the gods sent an elephant to help him dig the soil, and birds to scatter the seed for him. He stands with a hoe over his shoulder as the animals assist him. Below, a beauty carrying a hoe pauses for a rest from her labors, looking out at two sparrows fluttering across the sky. A narrow stream winds beneath a flowering cherry tree covered with pink and white blossoms and buds. The beauty's kimono is tucked up at the waist and her sleeves are tied back with a red sash, her hair protectively wrapped with a blue and white cloth. An attractive design from this interesting series, beautifully colored and shaded.

Artist - Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Image Size - 13 1/4" x 8 3/4" + margins as shown

Condition - With excellent color and detail. Lightly toned along top edge with minor rubbing in margins. Faint spotting throughout with a couple small stains along bottom edge. Please see photos for details. Good overall.

No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)
No. 1, Yu Shun: Elephants Helped Him Plow by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

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