Special exhibition of new works of six young painters held in NISHIOGI.
This painting titled Hakuto-Ookuni on the hanging scroll was painted by Ms. Kawasaki Mao; she is the winner of the best award at the Japanese Institute of Fine Arts Exhibition last spring. Her works deal with subjects from Japanese myths and are characterized by novel expression.
At a glance, the painting reminds you of one of the Izumo myths, “The White Hare of Inaba”.
One day, the brothers of Ookuninushi-no-mikoto went from Oki Island to Inaba (currently eastern part of Tottori Prefecture) to ask a beautiful princess of Inaba named Yakami to marry. On the way, they met a hare suffering terribly from having his skin torn off, which was the retaliatory result produced by deceived sharks. Ookuninushi-no-mikoto taught him how to cure the injury, and the treatment took effect. The hare was very glad and prophesied, “You will surely be chosen by the Princess as her husband”, and it came true.
This painting, based on the episode, looks as if the exultant Mikoto rushes to meet Yakami with the hare, riding on his back.
歓喜のみこと
西荻窪駅北口のギャラリーで開催された若い画家６名の新作展（「春待月にあそぼ」）。
この掛軸の絵は、神話を題材に斬新な表現で注目される日本画家・川崎麻央氏の作品（「白兎大国＜はくとおおくに＞」）。同氏は昨春の院展最高賞の受賞者でもある。一見して出雲神話の一つ「因幡の白兎」を想起させる。
因幡の国（現在の鳥取県東部地方）に住む美しい姫・八上（やかみ）に求婚のため大国主命（おおくにぬしのみこと）兄弟は、淤岐（おき）の島からこの国に渡る途中、海の上に並んだワニ（サメ）の背を欺き渡り、最後にワニに皮をはぎ取られて苦しんでいる兎に出会った。大国主命が正しい治療法を教えた結果、兎の傷は癒えた。兎は大変喜び、「貴方さまこそ八上姫を得ることになるでしょう」と予言、それが実現した。
この絵は、意中の姫に選ばれると予言された大国主命が、満面に喜びを浮かべながら兎の背に乗って姫のもとに急ぐさまを描いたものか。
