'Hasu-Ko'

29 November, 2017

Hasu-Ko means 'Lotus-Child'.

In Japanese mythology, a young girl, Hasu-Ko, died of love for her betrothed, whom she had never seen. Her spirit 'borrowed' the body of her sister Kei for a year so she and her fiancé could live as lovers. Kei became ill and 'appeared to be dead'. At the end of the year Hasu-Ko brought her lover home and told her parents that she could die content if they would agree to marry her sister to him. Her parents agreed as this was the only way her soul could be at rest. When her spirit faded away, Kei  came to life and was willing to marry her sister's fiancé. They all lived happily ever after.

This painting is from my Summer Bowl series which is inspired by the Japanese artform kintsugi - the repair of broken porcelain using gold. Read more about my Precious Bowls.