Spirit of General Tamichi as a Great Snake, 月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Archive Label 2003: In Japanese mythology humans are sometimes reborn as serpents in order to mete out revenge upon enemies who eluded them during their lifetime. The spirit of the one reborn for the sake of revenge is treated as a hero rather than an object of pity. Tamichi, a general during the reign of Emperor Nintoku (the sixteenth emperor of Japan during mythological times), was killed during a campaign. His spirit and implacable will survived in the form of a serpent. The serpent Tamichi continued to attack the enemy and finally defeated them. People at the time said, “Although dead, Tamichi has revenged himself at last.” Yoshitoshi’s print depicts the battle between Tamichi and the rebels. The ghost of Tamichi emerges from the serpent body with his feet invisible. His hair points to the sky expressing his rage, and his hypnotic eyes stare at his enemies as if to freeze them. The serpent’s coils, unusually angular in form, reflect the warrior’s high level of emotion and determination. Exhibition Label: "The Art of Stories Told," Jun-2004, Veronica de Jong The Japanese believed that people could be reborn as creatures, and in some cases revengeful spirits could be incarnated as serpents in order to attack their enemies. Depicted here is the mythical Tamichi, a general of Emperor Nintoku (from mythical times) who was killed by the native people of eastern Japan. The powerfully coiled form of the serpent is convincingly depicted defeating and terrifying several men who form a chaotic jumble of angularly placed legs and outstretched hands. One of the men’s weapons is shown tossed in the air while another is lying on the ground. In the opposite corner of the print, the human form of Tamichi is shown beside the snake’s body. His rage is clearly indicated by the angular folds of his costume, his determined expression, and his mane-like hair.