Urashima
浦島
Yamamoto Hosui · c. 1893-95 · Oil
Image: Wikimedia Commons (Work page (opens in a new tab)) / Collection: The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu (reduced in size on this site). Not provided by the museum PD-Art (PD-art-two, PD-Japan, PD-old-auto-1923) (opens in a new tab) View larger
Urashima, a large oil painting made around 1893-95 by Yamamoto Hosui, takes the Japanese folktale of Urashima as its subject. A fantastic scene of many women gathered among surging waves and a stormy sky, it is held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu.
- Artist
- Yamamoto Hosui
- Date
- c. 1893-95
- Medium / format
- Oil
About this work
Urashima is an oil painting on canvas made by Yamamoto Hosui around 1893-95. In the Gifu museum's collection search it is listed as 122.0 cm high by 168.0 cm wide, with accession number P2005-006, and its English title carries the note "Old Japanese Folktale."
The picture is set against a stormy sky heavy with clouds and a heaving sea. Many women crowd among the waves, and the woman at the center stands holding a red cloth high. It presents the folktale as a dramatic scene using Western oil-painting techniques.
Hosui returned from France in 1887 and joined in founding the Meiji Fine Arts Society in 1889. The years around 1893-95, when this work was painted, were a time when he was active in Japanese Western-style painting after his return.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
- The Museum of Fine Arts, GifuMuseum's page for this work (opens in a new tab)
Gifu, Gifu Accession no. P2005-006
Plan your visit to The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu
Find places to stay, activities and rental cars for a visit to The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, which holds "Urashima".
Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Urashima, and when?
- Urashima is by Yamamoto Hosui, made in c. 1893-95. Medium: Oil.
- Where can I see Urashima?
- It is held by The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu collection search (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-06)
- Wikipedia (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-06)
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