Warrior triptychs

1839-1841, Part I

 

 

Title: Yoshitsune ichidaiki: Gojô-bashi no zu

Description: The moonlight fight between Yoshitsune and Benkei on Gojô bridge in Kyoto with Kisanda behind

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

Date: c. 1839

Robinson: T47

Title:

Description: Battle outside a castle, with Shinodzuka Iga no Kami clutching a beam, and Kuriu Sayemon-no-jô beside him

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

Date: c. 1839

Robinson: T47a

Title:  Mitate musha rokkasen (Group of Six Choice Warrior-poets)

Description: Gen Sammi Yorimasa, Satsuma no Kami Tadanori, Kenrei-monin, Udaijin Sanetomo, Udaishô Yoritomo and Kumagaye Renshô-bô (Naozane)

Publisher: Yamato-ya

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T48

Title: Osanashi-dachi buyû soroi (A Set of Heroic Children)

Description: Below are the names of the thirty-six boys represented, each followed in parentheses by his adult name, or other information given on the print:

 

RIGHT-HAND SHEET

(right-hand edge, top to bottom): Tokuju Maru (Nitta Yoshioki), HakoMaru (Soga Gorô Tokimune), Ichiman Maru (Soga Jurô Sukenari), Aza Maru (Aku-shichibyôye Kagekiyo)

 

(middle): Shiragiku Maru (novice of Gwagôji), Uhyôye-no-suke Minamoto no Yoritomo (fifth son of Yoshitomo), Gorô Maru (Mimmaya no Shigemune)

 

(left-hand side): Juô Maru (Ôtomo no Sukune Kanamura), Onzôshi Tametomo (eighth son of Tameyoshi), Bijô Maru (son of Minamoto no Yorinobu, Kwaidô Maru (Sakata no Kintoki), Hyôzô (Tetsu Kôdzuke, son of a farmer of Echigo)

 

MIDDLE SHEET

(right-hand side): Kana-ishi Maru (Kudô Suketsune), Kôju Maru (son of Fujiwara no Nakamitsu), Wada Masatora (Genshû), Taira no Tomoakira (son of Tomomori), Oniwaka Maru (Musashi-bô Benkei)

 

(middle): Ushiwaka Maru (Kurô Hangwan Yoshitsune), Ariô Maru (page to Shunkwan), Chikudô Maru, Mukwan-no-tayû Atsumori (son of Sammi Tsunemori)

 

(left-hand side): Wakiya Yoshiharu (son of Yoshisuke and younger brother of Nitta Yoshisada) , Nagasaki Jirô (page to Hôjô Takatoki), Kusunoki Masatsura (eldest son of Masashige), KonMaru (Tosa-bô Shôshun)

 

LEFT-HAND SHEET

(right-hand side): Kikuô Maru (page to Nôto no Kami Noritsune), Sôma Kotarô Yoshikado (son of Masakado) , Kamakura Gongorô Kagemasa (page to Yoshiiye), The Rough Boy of Usui-tôge (Usui Sadamitsu)

 

(middle): Antoku Tennô, Tamon Maru (Kusunoki Masashige), Kojiro Nao-iye (son of Kumagaya Naozane)

 

(left-hand side): KomaMaru (Kiso Kwanja Yoshinaka), Hijiri Maru (page to Hioki Daizen), Kidô Maru (novice of Hiyeizan), Kichijô Maru (Ôtomo Yoshinao)

Publisher: Idzumi-ya Ichibei

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T49

Title: Morokoshi Shin no Shikôtei chôsei furo no etc.

Description: The great ships full of boys and girls sent in search of the immortal medicine (Hôraizan) by the Chinese Emperor Shih Huang Ti (Shikôtei), c. 219 BCE

Publisher: Hoso-Sen

Date: c. 1839-1841 (this triptych was reprinted c. 1843 with the seal of the censor, Kinugasa)

Robinson: T50

This key block print for the above design is courtesy of Richard Illing.  Each panel is an impression pulled from the first woodblock made by a carver from the artist’s original drawing.  The artist would write instructions for each color on a separate key block print, and the woodblock for each color was cut using one of these as a guide.  In addition to being a guide for carving the color woodblocks, the key block was also used to apply black ink (usually) in the printing process.

 

Title: Jingô Kôgô Sankan seibatsu no zu

Description: The punitive expedition of the Empress Jingô to Korea (traditional date, 200): Takeshiuchi-no-sukune, backed by the Empress and her troops, attacking the Koreans on the sea-shore

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T51

Title: Hachiman-tarô Yoshi-iye: Kôhei nenkan Yoritoki Sadatô no chôteki etc

Description: The captive rebel Abe no Munetô brought before Fujiwara no Mitsuyori by Yoshi-iye in 1064

Publisher: Takahashi-ya

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T52

 

NOTE: A later printing has altered banners and other details

Title: Jôan yo-nen etc.

Description: Ushiwaka Maru fighting Chôhan and his gang at the inn; one shining a lantern (1174)

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T53

Title: Untitled diptych

Description: Ushiwaka Maru (Yoshitsune) fighting Benkei on Gojô Bridge

Publisher: Nuno-Kichi

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T54

 

 

No image available

 

 

Title:

Description: Sayemon-no-suke Taira no Shigemori and his troops in a battle in the snow (probably during the troubles of Hôgen in 1156 or of Heiji in 1159)

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T55

Title: Jisbô yo-nen Minamoto no Yoritomo-kô gihei wo age Sunshû etc.

Description: The interview between the brothers Yoritomo and Yoshitsune at the base of Mount Fuji in 1180

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T56

Title: Sumidagawa batto no zu

Description: Yoritomo and his troops crossing the Sumida River on rafts in August, 1180

Publisher: Idzumi-ya Ichibei

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T57

Title: Gempei seisuiki: Suruga no kuni Fujikawa kassen (History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira: The Battle of Fujikawa)

Description: At the Battle of Fujikawa, a flight of wild geese warned the Minamoto of a Taira ambush on November 10, 1180

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T58

 

 

No image available

 

 

Title: Gempei seisuiki: Awa no kuni Katsu-ura kassen (History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira: The battle of Katsu-ura in Awa Province)

Description: The battle of Katsu-ura in Awa Province: Yoshitsune and his troops marching along the shore to attack Yoshitô’s castle on March 20, 1185

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T59

Title: Gempei seisuiki: Kaga no kuni Ataka kassen (History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira: The battle of Ataka in Kaga Province)

Description: The battle of Ataka in Kaga Province, with Tomoye-gozen and Yamabuki (both in upper portion of right-hand panel), the warrior-mistress and wife, respectively, of Yoshinaka, attacking the Taira under Kagekiyo in 1183

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T60

 

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

Title: Gempei Hokuyetsu ô-kassen

Description: The great battle between Yoshinaka and the Taira in northern Echizen Province with Shirô Nagamochi, the Amazon Hangaku and Kurô Sukemori

Publisher: Tsuru-ya Kiyemon

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T61

 

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

Title: Ujigawa ô-kassen (The Battle of the Uji River)

Description: The battle of the Uji River on March 5, 1184: Takatsuna about to land (right), followed by Kagesuye (center) and the main body of troops still in midstream (left) with a broken bridge in the background

Publisher: Yezaki-ya Tatsuzô

Date: c. 1839-1841

Robinson: T62

‘Robinson’ refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its unpublished supplement.

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