Crane and ??

[Ludolf Richter]

I have tried to find out what Tanaka Kiyotoshi has shown on the back or behind the crane,but was not successful.Any ideas?!Ludolf

[pcfarrar]

Sennin with his head broken off and just the beard remaining?

[Toryu2020]

Sennin is clearly visible looking straight up to the heavens his robes blend with the bird but if you imagine an old man riding "backward" on the crane you'll see all of him...

[raven2]

Very nice Tsuba .

[Ludolf Richter]

Thanks!Ludolf

[ROKUJURO]

I looked at the TSUBA quite a while and I think I can see a smaller bird (pigeon?) travelling by 'Crane Airlines'. There is still something bigger behind it - a sack? I am sure there is a Japanese legend behind it which our expert membres from Japan may know.

[Brian]

http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/art/208172

http://library24.library.cornell.edu:82 ... ding-crane

 

Brian

[Ludolf Richter]

Thanks Brian!So it's Sennin riding a crane.What's the story behind it?Nothing in Jolys Legends...".Ludolf

[pcfarrar]

Sennin Kohaku (Kokaku) visited Mount Bui and there he read fairy books. He is usually shown seated on a stork or a crane above the clouds.

 

He's in Legend in Japanese Art on page 186.

[Ludolf Richter]

"Sennin rides on a pure white crane and plays his harp while flying through the air." from Ecyclopedia of Ancient Deities by Charles Russel Coulter and Patricia Turner.Ludolf

[ROKUJURO]

The human brain is a weird thing! When you know what it is you can suddenly see it!