(Asakusa Kannon temple caricatures C) c. 1900

Awashima Kangetsu made this caricature of Asakusa Kannon temple with ink and color on paper. The lines are quickly drawn, almost dashed off, yet the figures are carefully placed on the sheet. The light washes of color give a sense of airiness, contrasting with the weightiness we might expect from a religious scene. This was not an uncommon subject for Kangetsu, and there is evidence that he specialized in producing quick sketches for tourists. Consider the ease with which this watercolor could be produced and sold, perhaps in multiples. We might see the humor not only as a matter of style, but of social context, a reflection of the changing status of religious imagery in a rapidly modernizing Japan. This caricature reminds us that art is not only about aesthetics, but also about the world in which it is made and consumed.