Artwork

Otafuku Throwing Black Beans to Chase Away the Demons on New Year's Eve

Otafuku Throwing Black Beans to Chase Away the Demons on New Year's Eve is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Tōshūsai Sharaku. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Created in 1798, this ukiyo-e print portrays a figure performing a New Year’s rite of throwing black beans to ward off evil spirits.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1798, this ukiyo-e print portrays a figure performing a New Year’s rite of throwing black beans to ward off evil spirits. The composition centers on a round‑faced individual in dark attire, captured mid‑gesture as beans arc upward. The background is a plain, light wash, allowing the dynamic pose and exaggerated facial expression to dominate the visual field.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates the Japanese tradition of tossing roasted soybeans, known as mamemaki, on the night of January 1st to drive away demons and invite good fortune. The startled look on the subject’s face, combined with the exaggerated eyes and open mouth, conveys both the ritual’s seriousness and its playful, communal spirit.

Technique & Style

Bold, sweeping black outlines define the figure against the pale backdrop, a hallmark of Sharaku’s approach to ukiyo‑e. The artist employs exaggerated proportions, large eyes, a wide grin, to heighten the scene’s theatricality, while retaining a degree of realistic detail in the clothing and bean‑filled tray. The minimal background emphasizes the kinetic energy of the gesture.

History & Provenance

Although Sharaku is best known for his striking kabuki actor portraits produced during a brief, ten‑month career in the mid‑1790s, this print demonstrates his range beyond theatrical subjects. The piece entered the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains part of the museum’s Japanese prints holdings, offering insight into both seasonal customs and Sharaku’s broader oeuvre.