The Desktop Wallpaper Project featuring Celine Loup
February 22, 2012 - By Bobby Solomon - Category: The Desktop Wallpaper Project
For those who’ve bene following along you may know of my ongoing fascination with the tale of Urashima Taro. For those who aren’t familiar:
It’s about a young boy who helps a sea turtle who’s being harassed by a group of children. The next day a giant sea turtle rises up from the ocean to greet Urashima Taro, who unknowingly saved the daughter of the Emperor of the Sea, Ryojin, who wants to see him to thank him. Urashima Taro is brought to the bottom of the ocean where he meets the princess again, only this time she is a beautiful maiden. He stays for a few days but then wants to go home, as his mother is ill. The princess then gives him a mysterious box called tamatebako which will protect him from harm but which she tells him never to open. When he gets back to the surface nothing is the same, his mother and his village gone. It turns out that 300 years had passed while he was underwater, though it only felt like a few days. Distraught, he opens the box given to him by the princess, only to find that it contains his age, instantly becoming old and grayed. From the sea comes the sad, sweet voice of the princess: “I told you not to open that box. In it was your old age …”
This week is British illustrator Celine Loup, who provides the scene where Urashima meets the princess for the first time. Celine has created a fantastic illustration with tons of details. If you look at Urashima’s jacket you’ll see what I mean. It’s also great that she was able to include the fish swimming around, a subtle nod to the fact that they’re chilling underwater without being heavy handed. A big thanks to Celine for continuing the tale.
You can see the other Urashima Taro wallpapers by clicking here.
Bobby
