The print shows Taira Yoshikado and
Uto Yasukata, famous
warriors of the tenth century, with the spirit of
Yoshikado's dead sister, Kocho, in the background in the
form of a giant dirt spider (tsuchigumo). The image is based on the play Kan ha shu tsunagiuma,
from Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725), which was performed
in Edo, at the Ichimura za theatre, in the end of
1844.
The
connection with the Genji chapter (Usugumo, or Wisp
of Clouds) is established by the play with the word gumo,
which could mean spider as well as cloud.
