Parody of the Legend of Xu You and Chao Fu - Okumura Masanobu

A classic mitate-e woodblock print by Okumura Masanobu, reinterpreting an ancient Chinese legend within a contemporary Edo-period domestic setting.

This woodblock print by Okumura Masanobu is a classic example of mitate-e, a genre of Japanese art that reinterprets historical or legendary themes through the lens of contemporary Edo-period life. The original legend concerns the ancient Chinese hermits Xu You and Chao Fu, who famously rejected worldly power. In this parody, Masanobu translates the narrative into a domestic scene featuring a man and a woman, grounding the philosophical tale in the aesthetic of the floating world.

The composition employs the clean, linear style characteristic of early eighteenth-century ukiyo-e. The figures are rendered with precise, controlled lines, focusing on the patterns of their kimono and the spatial arrangement of the interior. The man is depicted crouching beside a water basin, while the woman stands nearby, holding a cord attached to a small cat. The background features a sliding screen decorated with a waterfall motif, which serves as a subtle nod to the original legend where Xu You washed his ears in a stream to cleanse them of worldly corruption.

Masanobu was a significant figure in the development of ukiyo-e, known for his technical innovations and his ability to blend traditional literary references with the popular culture of his time. His work often reflects the sophisticated wit of the urban merchant class in Edo. The print lacks the later addition of colour, allowing the viewer to appreciate the draughtsmanship and the balance of negative space. The inclusion of the cat adds a touch of playfulness, typical of the artist's approach to subverting serious subject matter. This print offers a glimpse into the intellectual playfulness of the period, where high culture and everyday life intersected through the medium of the woodblock print.