The Beak-Cutting Sparrow
1880
Look at this incredibly weathered old man, hunched over under the weight of a massive woven basket and leaning heavily on a bamboo cane. This is a scene from the famous Japanese folktale 'The Tongue-Cut Sparrow,' created by the legendary ukiyo-e master Tsukioka Yoshitoshi in 1880. The old man is returning from the sparrow's magical home with a basket that, unbeknownst to his greedy wife, is actually filled with gold and treasures instead of monsters! Yoshitoshi's brilliant use of exaggerated, almost grotesque features brings the exhaustion and character of this beloved folklore hero to vivid life.
- Technique
- Woodblock print
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