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The Saltmaker’s Story
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Once read and copied by girls at New Year’s celebrations and included in dowries, <em>The</em> <em>Saltmaker’s Story</em> is a rags-to-riches tale in which daughters are gifts from the gods. Despite his simple outlook, the main character progresses from humble roots as an associate at Kashima Shrine to the elite status of grandfather of the emperor through the intervention of the Kashima deity. <em>The Saltmaker’s Story</em> is traditionally presented in a set of three scrolls, but the text of this set has been removed by a previous owner, who remounted the illustrations as a pair. The paintings of this one take us from right to left through the first half of the tale.
| Artist / Maker | Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) |
|---|---|
| Date | early 1600s |
| Culture / Origin | Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) |
| Medium | One of a pair of handscrolls; ink, color, and gold on paper |
| Dimensions | Overall: 17.7 x 917.5 cm (6 15/16 x 361 1/4 in.) |
| Department | Japanese Art |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
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