Prince Okuni (?) and a Hare 1819

This woodblock print depicting Prince Okuni and a hare was created by Yashima Gakutei in Japan, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The image suggests much about the social and cultural life of Japan at this time. It reflects the renewed interest in Japanese classical literature and performing arts. The figure of Prince Okuni may well reference the founder of Kabuki theatre who lived in the late 16th and early 17th century. The presence of the hare suggests that this print was made to celebrate the Zodiacal year of the Hare. A historian of Japanese prints would be interested in the market for these prints, and the traditions of woodblock printing that made them so popular during this period. Together, the figure and the hare give us an insight into Japanese folk traditions. These figures are rich resources for understanding the cultural context of 19th century Japan.