Japanese Fairy Tale: The Boy Who Drew Cats
Artist
Suzuki Kason
(Japanese, 1860 – 1919)
AuthorRendered into English by
Lafcadio Hearn
(Japanese, 1850 – 1904)
Publisher
Takejiro Hasagawa
(Japanese, 1853 – 1938)
Publisher
Martin Hopkinson & Company, LTD
Date1899
PeriodMeiji period (1868–1912) or or Taishō period (1912–1926)
MediumWoodblock printed book (chirimen-bon); ink and color on crepe paper with silk cord binding
DimensionsOverall: 7 11/16 × 5 3/8 × 3/8 in. (19.5 × 13.7 × 1 cm)
ClassificationsBooks
Credit LineGift of Charles and Robyn Citrin, 2018
Object numberSN11629.70
A gifted young artist seeks shelter for the night in an abandoned temple, unaware that it is haunted by a giant goblin-rat. Before going to sleep, he paints cats on a folding screen. During the night, a terrifying commotion shakes the temple. When morning comes, the room is in disarray. An enormous dead rat is lying on the temple floor, and the cats painted the night before have blood on their faces.
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