Namazu-e (catfish print)

1855

Title
Namazu-e (catfish print)
Collection
Caltech Images Collection
Series
Fine Art Photographs
Identifier
FA-PR-0142
Dates
1855
Extents
1 photographs
Abstract
According to Japanese legend, earthquakes were caused by the movements of a monster catfish that lived under the island of Japan. Immediately following the great Ansei earthquake of October 2, 1855, woodblock prints called Namazu-e (“catfish pictures”) appeared in Edo (now Tokyo), the most affected area. These imaginative and sometimes brutal depictions served as a unique source of information and reassurance to the local population. In this picture, the sly Namazu tries to beguile unwary children.
IIIF Manifest