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Scroll painting of a patterned biwa lute entwined by a white snake, with a red tassel, on pale silk.

The Lute and White Snake of Benten (Sarasvati)

A painted hanging scroll shows a biwa, a Japanese lute with a round body decorated in red, blue, yellow and white roundel patterns, its neck trailed by a red tassel. A white snake coils around the instrument against a pale ground, framed by gold-patterned brocade mounting.

Artist
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760-1849)
Date
1847
Medium
Ink and color on silk
Source
Smithsonian (National Museum of Asian Art)
Size
2735 × 4000 px
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Public domain · Smithsonian (National Museum of Asian Art) releases this image under CC0 (latest date 1847).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Smithsonian Open Access)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art

Español: El laúd y la serpiente blanca de Benten (Sarasvati)

Una pintura en rollo colgante muestra un biwa, laúd japonés de cuerpo redondo decorado con círculos rojos, azules, amarillos y blancos, con una borla roja colgando de su mástil. Una serpiente blanca se enrosca alrededor del instrumento sobre un fondo claro, enmarcada por un montaje de brocado dorado.

Português: O alaúde e a serpente branca de Benten (Sarasvati)

Uma pintura em rolo suspenso mostra um biwa, alaúde japonês de corpo arredondado decorado com círculos vermelhos, azuis, amarelos e brancos, com uma borla vermelha pendendo do braço. Uma serpente branca se enrola em torno do instrumento sobre fundo claro, emoldurada por montagem de brocado dourado.

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