Scenes from Comic Plays [one of a pair]

Kyogen, literally "wild words," evolved as comic interludes devised as relief from the somber and philosophical themes of No performances. A down-to-earth, colloquial theatrical form, Kyo_gen characters highlight human foibles and frailties. This handscroll is one of a pair, each of which depicts scenes from eleven Kyo_gen plays. This section illustrates the climatic scene from the play "Kubihiki," in which the legendary warrior and strongman Minamoto Tametomo (1139-1170) is challenged by a demon-princess and her henchmen to various tests of his strength. Here, they engage in a spirited bout of tug-a-war.

Credit: Bequest of Richard P. Gale