Shoki Banner

<p>In this print, a portrait of the demon slayer Shoki appears on a fluttering banner. Raising a sword in his right hand, he wards off attackers with his outstretched left hand. Banners featuring Shoki traditionally appeared at the Boys’ Day festival, partly to celebrate the boys in a family and partly to guard against disease. Both Shoki and the color red were believed to be effective barriers against common and often deadly diseases like smallpox.</p> <p>In addition to illustrating many books, Hanzan also created <em>surimono</em> prints for poetry groups active in the Osaka and Kyoto areas. He signed this work with the term oju, indicating that it was made in return for a friendly request, perhaps from Kiitsu, the leader of this poetry gathering.</p>