Parody of the Legend of Xu You and Chao Fu 1705 - 1725

This parody of the legend of Xu You and Chao Fu was created by Okumura Masanobu in Japan in the 18th century. This woodblock print presents a contemporary, playful take on a revered Chinese story. During this time, Japanese art often blended high and low culture, tradition and modernity. Masanobu cleverly reimagines the characters with fashionable figures from the pleasure districts of Edo, now Tokyo. The woman, possibly a courtesan, is shown with a small dog. The man is attending to tea. The story these figures are alluding to is about integrity and incorruptibility. By setting this scene in a domestic space, Masanobu explores themes of purity versus worldliness, inviting a conversation about personal ethics within the context of everyday life. It's a gentle nudge, perhaps, at the values we uphold and the compromises we make.