TAMATORI'S TENDERNESS. 2021
Acrylic on canvas, 140x100 сm.
This Art - work is part of the project "Another Skin".
The paint is made in the author's technique of painting by Vasili Zianko based acrylic painting on canvas using a variety of textures, washes, the finest glazing, volumetric contours.
An octopus doing cunnilingus to a diving girl is the frequent theme of Japanese artists art-works. In 1814, the great artist Hokusai created the famous engraving "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife". The fantasy about copulation girl and octopus has ancient roots. The powerful Japanese clan Fujiwara is involved to the origin of the legend. The legend tells about the poor girl Ama, a pearl diver, whose beauty and skill won the heart of Prince Fujiwara no Fuhito. The prince took Ama as his wife and named her Princess Tamatori. But he asked her for one favor: to find at the bottom of the sea and return to the family the lost jewel stolen by the Sea Dragon. After many failed attempts a brave woman lulled to sleep the Sea Drago with the singing. But only by seducing the wise octopus guard and becoming his mistress, she was able to take possession of the pearl. Fleeing from the depths, Tamatori cut her chest to hide the relic. The blood flow colored the water and helped to escape from the sea god's pursuit, and the magical pearl gave her strength to reach the shore. But Ama died as soon as she reached the ground, she sacrificed herself for the sake of her husband and the entire Fujiwara clan.
In honor of Princess Tamatori, Japanese pearl divers became known as Ama. It is a very ancient profession, dating back more than one hundred years and exists to this day, not inferior in mystery and popularity to Japanese geishas.
