Pephistory of Art Vol. II - From Ukiyo-e to Manga: A Pepe Monogatari
Pepe Between Raijin and Fujin
This work playfully reimagines Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s dynamic depictions of Raijin and Fūjin, the Japanese gods of thunder and wind, by inserting a calm, almost amused Pepe figure between the two raging deities. On the left, Raijin unleashes his crackling bolts, surrounded by his iconic ring of drums; on the right, Fūjin charges forward with his great wind-bag creating swirling gusts. The swirling clouds, bold contour lines, and earthy pigments faithfully echo Edo-period ukiyo-e aesthetics.
By placing Pepe at the center, unfazed amid divine chaos, the piece humorously subverts the heroic tension typical of the original mythological scenes, creating a contrast between cosmic violence and the serene absurdity of modern meme culture.
- Trait 1 NameLate Edo Period
- Trait 2 NameFrog
- Trait 3 NameVol. II
- Trait 4 NameChapter II