人は何故「悪」に惹きつけられるのでしょうか。現代では、テレビドラマや映画、小説などで、悪役は時に主人公を凌ぐほどの魅力をはなつことが少なくない。そして江戸を生きた人々も、すでにこの「悪」の持つ底知れぬ魅力に気づいていたようだ。例えば、世間を騒がせた大盗賊が市中引き回しになると、その姿を一目見ようと街道は群衆で埋め尽くされたと言う。また元禄赤穂事件などの大事件が起きると、すぐさま事件は芝居に移され、吉良上野介（「仮名手本忠臣蔵」では高師直）は悪の権化としてのイメージを定着させていく。幕末には、「白浪物」の芝居が流行し(白浪は盗賊のこと)、盗賊や小悪党が主人公の舞台が人気を呼び、当時の人たちは現実、虚構を問わず、「悪」の持つ魅力に好奇心を抱き、時に酔いしれたのだ。
本展は、さまざまな悪人たちのイメージを描かれた浮世絵から探る展覧会。石川五右衛門、鼠小僧次郎吉などの大盗賊、幡随院長兵衛などの侠客、吉良上野介などの歴史上の人物、悪女、小悪党、悪の妖術使いなど、実在した悪人から物語に登場する架空の人物まで、江戸の「悪」が大集合。
★江戸の悪
日程：2015年6月2日～6月26日
会場：太田記念美術館
住所：渋谷買う神宮前1-10-10
TEL：03-3403-0880
休館：月曜日
One of my favorite exhibition spaces in the city, the Ota Museum of Ukiyo-e in Harajuku curates thematic exhibitions from their extensive collection throughout the year. Just opened, ‘Villains of Ukiyo-e’ is their current showing. From their website…
Why are people fascinated by the evil? In TV shows, movies, and novels today, it is not rare that the villain attracts more popularity than the main protagonist. It seems that in the Edo period, people had already taken notice of this.
For example, it is said that the streets teemed with people when a notorious master theif was caught and dragged through the streets on the way to the gallows. When the Genroku Akō Incident occurred, the drama was instantly made into a kabuki play, and Kira Kōzukenosuke established his image as the incarnation of evil. In the late Edo period, plays with bandits and thieves as main characters became popular. Whether in reality or in fiction, people at that time were interested in, and occasionally even became entranced by the charms of evil.
This exhibition explores the various images of villains that are depicted in ukiyo-e, ranging from actual villains to fictional characters in stories. These include thieves like Ishikawa Goemon and Nezumikozō Kozō Jirokichi, chivalrous outlaws such as Banzuiin Chōbei, historical figures such as Kira Kōzuke no suke, villainesses, young scoundrels, and sorcerers of evil.