![A set of three miniature handscrolls depicting the Story Taishokkan [The Great Woven Cap]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2002/CKS/2002_CKS_06589_0069_000(044008).jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
In this famous tale, which has undergone numerous transformations over the past millennium, the great statesman Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-69) has a beautiful daughter who marries the Emperor of China. As Empress she decides to send her father a splendid crystal ball, but the ship carrying the present is attacked by pirates allied with Ryujin, the King of the Sea and the crystal is lost. Despondent at this disaster, Kamatari wanders to the seashore where he meets a beautiful pearl-diver. Together they decide to retrieve the stolen crystal. While Kamatari distracts Ryujin and his cohorts by playing sacred music in boats on the ocean surface, the girl dives down to Ryujin's undersea palace and grabs the crystal. As she is being hauled up, however, Ryujin spies her and gives chase. She cuts open her breast and hides the crystal within it. Kamatari retrieves the treasure but the pearl diver perishes.
With its plot involving loss, foreign countries, evil spirits and self-sacrifice Taishokkan was very popular in the early Edo period, and the story was frequently retold on screens, scrolls and Nara ehon format (see also the commentary to Lot 71).1 The fifteen scenes are as follows
Scroll 1 Scene 1: Kamatari visits the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara
Scroll 1 Scene 2: Chinese messengers approve the marriage of Kamatari's daughter to the Emperor of China
Scroll 1 Scene 3: Kamatari's daughter sails for China
Scroll 1 Scene 4: The happy couple
Scroll 1 Scene 5: Ryujin plans to steal the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 1: The decisive battle over the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 2: A witch sent by Ryujin appears when a floating tree is cut in two
Scroll 2 Scene 3: The witch tries to marry the general in charge of the Chinese treasure
Scroll 2 Scene 4: The witch steals the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 5: The general informs Kamatari of the loss and delivers the remainder of the treasure
Scroll 3 Scene 1: Pearl-divers prepare to recover the crystal
Scroll 3 Scene 2 (see illustration): The pearl-diver reports on her adventures at the bottom of the sea
Scroll 3 Scene 3: The pearl-diver enters Ryujin's palace
Scroll 3 Scene 4: Ryujin and his denizens emerge from the depths and hold a great party
Scroll 3 Scene 5: Ryujin chases the pearl-diver
1 For a detailed discussion of the story and its later development, see Danielle Talerico, 'Interpreting Sexual Imagery in Japanese Prints: A Fresh Approach to Hokusai's Diver and Two Octopi', Impressions (The Journal of the Ukiyo-e Society of America, Inc.) 23 (2001), (24-39), pp. 25 ff.
With its plot involving loss, foreign countries, evil spirits and self-sacrifice Taishokkan was very popular in the early Edo period, and the story was frequently retold on screens, scrolls and Nara ehon format (see also the commentary to Lot 71).
Scroll 1 Scene 1: Kamatari visits the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara
Scroll 1 Scene 2: Chinese messengers approve the marriage of Kamatari's daughter to the Emperor of China
Scroll 1 Scene 3: Kamatari's daughter sails for China
Scroll 1 Scene 4: The happy couple
Scroll 1 Scene 5: Ryujin plans to steal the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 1: The decisive battle over the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 2: A witch sent by Ryujin appears when a floating tree is cut in two
Scroll 2 Scene 3: The witch tries to marry the general in charge of the Chinese treasure
Scroll 2 Scene 4: The witch steals the crystal ball
Scroll 2 Scene 5: The general informs Kamatari of the loss and delivers the remainder of the treasure
Scroll 3 Scene 1: Pearl-divers prepare to recover the crystal
Scroll 3 Scene 2 (see illustration): The pearl-diver reports on her adventures at the bottom of the sea
Scroll 3 Scene 3: The pearl-diver enters Ryujin's palace
Scroll 3 Scene 4: Ryujin and his denizens emerge from the depths and hold a great party
Scroll 3 Scene 5: Ryujin chases the pearl-diver
1 For a detailed discussion of the story and its later development, see Danielle Talerico, 'Interpreting Sexual Imagery in Japanese Prints: A Fresh Approach to Hokusai's Diver and Two Octopi', Impressions (The Journal of the Ukiyo-e Society of America, Inc.) 23 (2001), (24-39), pp. 25 ff.