"The Abduction" is a visual interpretation of the old Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (summary of the story below). The piece specifically depicts the finale of the story, when the Princess is forcibly taken back to her home on the moon.
The Abduction, 2016
30"x49"
Watercolor on watercolor paper
Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Kaguya Hime)
One day, an old bamboo cutter comes across a mysteriously shining stalk of bamboo. After cutting it open, inside he finds a little baby girl. Overjoyed, he takes her home to his wife and adopts the child as their own. They named her Kaguya-Hime (princess of flexible bamboo and bright light). Kaguya Hime grew up to become a beautiful woman, and news of her extraordinary beauty travelled throughout the land.
Five princes, hearing the news of her beauty, come to ask for Kaguya's hand in marriage. Kaguya, who had no interest in marriage, ask each of the princes to bring back to her a fictional legendary object, agreeing to marry the one who completes the task. The first was told to bring her the stone bowl of the Buddha, the second a bejeweled branch of the sacred mountain Horai, the third a legendary robe of a fire-rat, the fourth a pearl from the dragon's neck, and the final prince a cowry shell from the swallows.
Realizing that it was an impossible task, the princes tried to deceive the princess by bringing her fake objects, but Kaguya sees through these fakes. After this incident, the Emperor of Japan, Mikado, comes to see for himself the beauty Kaguya emits, and instantly falls in love. He asks for her hand in marriage, but again Kaguya rejects.
Around that time, Kaguya was often seen staring up at the moon, with tears in her eyes. Her parents were worried, but she could not tell them what was wrong.
Later on Kaguya reveals her true identity; she was originally a celestial being from the moon, temporarily sent to Earth as punishment. Kaguya's crime was thus: she had desired to live on this "dirty" Earth, even in exchange for her pure life on the moon. However her punishment was over now; she was forced to return to her original place on the moon, where everything was perfect and still. She will have no recollection of her memories on Earth, where, although tainted with human sin, was filled with laughter, color, and worldly happiness.
