装いの力 - 異性装の日本史（松濤美術館） Power of Closing: History of Cross-Dressing in Japan (Shoto Museum of Art)

聖書には、”女は男の、男は女の、それぞれの着物を着てはならない。”という言葉があり、西洋社会では、異性装はタブーになっているという。

それに比べると日本では、古事記や日本書紀の中にヤマトタケルが女装して熊襲を退治する物語があり、異性装には寛容な社会であった。

日本において異性装がどのように描かれてきたかを辿るユニークな展覧会が松濤美術館で開催された。

展示品は、浮世絵が多かった印象。異装をテーマにした歌舞伎の出し物が多いからだろう。

他には、巴御前をテーマにした能の面や衣装、井伊直弼の娘が所用した真っ赤な鎧兜、若衆を描いた北斎の肉筆画、ベルばらやリボンの騎士の原画なども展示されていた。

現代からも、変装で知られる森村泰昌の作品や、ドラッグクイーンをテーマにしたコーナーがあり、どちらもとてもインパクトがあった。

そうした展示の中でも、桃山時代に描かれた阿国歌舞伎草子がとりわけ印象的だった。女性であった出雲の阿国がはじめた歌舞伎は、やがて男性だけの演劇になってしまった。

異装には寛容と言われた日本にあっても、厳然とした女性差別があったことが思い起こさせる。

In the Bible, there is a saying, ``Woman should not wear man's clothes, and men should not wear women's clothes.'' In Western society, cross-dressing is taboo.

In contrast, in Japan, there is a story in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki that Yamato Takeru disguises himself as a woman and exterminates Kumaso, and the society was tolerant of cross-dressing.

A unique exhibition has been held at the Shoto Museum of Art that traces how cross-dressing has been portrayed in Japan.

Impression that there were many ukiyo-e prints on display. This is probably because there are many Kabuki performances with disguise as the theme.

Other exhibits included Noh masks and costumes with the theme of Tomoe Gozen, a bright red armor worn by Naosuke Ii's daughter, Hokusai's hand-drawn paintings of young men, and original drawings of bell roses and ribbon knights. .

From the present age, there was a work by Yasumasa Morimura, who is known for his disguise, and a corner with a theme of drag queens, both of which had a great impact.

Among these exhibits, the Okuni Kabuki Zoshi drawn in the Momoyama period was particularly impressive. Kabuki, which was started by Izumo no Okuni, who was a woman, eventually became a male-only theater.

It reminds us that even in Japan, which was said to be tolerant of cross-dressing, there was a strict discrimination against women.