Warrior triptychs

1842-1843, Part II

 

 

Title: Iga Kôdzuke ada-uchi (The Igagoye revenge)

Description: Shidzuma engaging Matagorô (right and center) while Masayemon fights against odds (left)

Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T106

Title: Nijô-in no toki etc.

Description: Gen Sammi Yorimasa standing with his bow (right), his wife Ayame-no-maye seated (center) and his squire Ii no Hayata Tadazumi (left) also seated

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T107

Title: Minamoto no Ushiwaka Maru Yahagi no chôja ga moto tachiyori tamau zu

Description: Ushiwaka and Kisanda being summoned by one of Jôruri-hime’s maids with Jôruri-hime playing the koto in the house behind

Publisher: Iba-ya Kyûbei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T108

Title: Gempei seisuiki: Sanshû Yashima kassen (History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira: The Battle of Yashima in Sanuki Province)

Description: The Battle of Yashima in Sanuki Province on March 23, 1184: Akushichibyôye Kagekiyo chasing Kunitoshi along the shore while Tsuginobu, shielding Yoshitsune, is shot by Noritsune from his boat

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Jûzô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T109

 

NOTE: This is one sheet from a triptych showing Akushichibyôye Kagekiyo and Kunitoshi

Title: Saimyôji Tokiyori Nyûdô shokoku shugyô no etc.

Description: Tokiyori, the Hôjô regent, in monk’s habit, at the house of Tsuneyo in the snow; the latter’s daughter Shirataye cuts a valuable bonsai (dwarf tree) to make a fire

Publisher: Sakurai

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T110

Title: Taira no Masakado isshi Shôgun Tarô Yoshikado etc.

Description: Iga Jutarô (left), Yoshikado (center), and his sister Takiyasha (right) with their gang in the old temple where they lived

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T111

 

NOTE: This triptych is similar to T219.

Title: Yoshi-iye Mikawa Zenji ga musume ni etc.

Description: Hachiman-tarô Yoshi-iye cuts off the corner of a go board with his sword, while Nareginu, daughter of Mikawa Zenji, holds up a lantern, and Abe no Munetô stands glowering outside

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T111a

Title: Konoye-no-in no gyo-u Nimpyô san-nen etc.

Description: Yorimasa shooting down the nuye from above the palace of the Emperor Konoye in 1153

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T112

Title: Chinzei Hachirô Tametomo Idzu no Ôshima nite etc.

Description: Tametomo (left) sinking the foremost ship of Mochimitsu’s fleet with a single arrow; his mistress Sasaraye and his henchman Oniyasha, armed with a naginata and an iron club respectively with the rough islanders look on in admiration

Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Yasubei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T113

 

NOTE: This triptych was reprinted in 1844 with a different publisher’s seal and an altered title (T140).

Title: Minamoto no Yoritomo-kô shoshô wo atsume etc.

Description: Yoritomo presiding at a war-council of all his chief followers in his battle against the Taira with the rivalry of Sasaki and Kajiwara  

Publisher: Kadzusa-ya Iwazô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T114

Title: Minamoto no Yoritomo Sumidagawa hata-age chakutô seizoroye no zu

Description: Presentation of a naginata to Hatakeyarna Shigetada by Hôjô Tokimasa before Yoritomo on the banks of the Sumida River in 1180 with many warriors in attendance

Publisher: Tsuta-ya Kichizô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T115

Title: Kiso Kwanja Yoshinaka Heike wo horobasan to ichizoku etc.

Description: Yoshinaka’s farewell parade on going to war with the Taira in 1180 with Tomoye-gozen riding off (left)

Publisher: Kagi-ya Hanjirô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T116

 

NOTE: This triptych was modified in 1849-1852 to become T244.  The head of Tomoye-gozen was recut as Wakiya Yoshisuke, while Yoshinaka became Yoshisada and Yamabuki-gozen became Kôtô-no-naishi.

Title: Minamoto no Yoshitsune Heike wo horoboshite nochi etc.

Description: After a slanderer put doubts of his loyalty into the mind of Lord Yoritomo, Yoshitsune reading his plea to his brother Yoritomo after his victory over the Taira on July 3, 1185 (the text of the ‘Koshigoe Letter’ occupies the upper part of the print)

Publisher: To-Sawa

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T117

Title: Udaishô Yoritomo-kô Tsuru-ga-oka Hachiman-gû ye hôraku no tame etc.

Description: Yoritomo releasing 1,000 cranes (a pious Buddhist practice) on the shore at Tsuru-ga-oka

Publisher: Sano-Ichi

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T118

Title: Minamoto no Yori-iye-kô Kamakura Kotsubo no umi-yûran Asahina etc.

Description: Asahina Yoshihide’s fight with two crocodiles in the sea off Kamakura, watched by the Shôgun Yori-iye and his nobles in boats

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T119

Title: Dainagon Suketomo-kô no soku Chûnagon Suketoshi-kô etc.

Description: Kumawaka Maru, son of Dainagon Suketomo, and the wife of Shinodzuka Iga no Kami outside a house in the snow

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T120

Title: Hyôgo no omote ô-kassen no zu

Description: Encounter of the troops of Kusunoki Masashige and the Ashikaga in mid-stream in 1336

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Jûzô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T121

Title: Genke shotô sofu koden

Description: An illustrated family tree of the main line of the Minamoto Clan from Sadazumi Shinnô (874-916), son of Emperor Seiwa, to Yoshitsune as follows:

  

RIGHT-HAND SHEET

(above): Asahi Shôgun Yoshinaka and Chinjufu Shôgun Minamoto no Yoriyoshi

  

(middle): Mutsu no Kami Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Reizei-in Hangwandai Yorinobu

   

(below): Sama Gon-no-kami Tada Mitsunaka and Rokusonnô Tsunemoto

 

MIDDLE SHEET

(above): Hachiman-tarô Yoshi-iye, Sadazumi Shinnô and Rokujô Hangwan Tameyoshi

  

(middle): Shinra Saburô Yoshimitsu

  

(below): Chinzei Hachirô Tametomo and Sama-no-kami Yoshitomo

 

LEFT-HAND SHEET

(above): Udaishô Yoritomo and Kaba-no-Kwanja Noriyori

   

(middle): Tayû no Hangwan Yoshitsune

   

(below): Tatewaki Sensei Yoshikata and Akugenda Yoshihira

Publisher: Idzumi-ya Ichibei

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T122

Title: Gempei seisuiki: Idzu no kuni Yamaki kassen (History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira: The attack on the Yamaki Palace)

Description: Yoritomo’s attack on Yamaki Palace at night took Kanetaka and his retainers by surprise in 1180

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T123

Title: Ôshû Takadachi kassen Yoshitsune etc.

Description: Yoshitsune leading a sortie from the castle of Takadachi over the moat bridge in 1189; Benkei knocking over foe (center)

Publisher: Ki-ya Sôjirô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T124

Title: Untitled

Description: The Soga brothers with Tegoshi no Shôshô in the rain outside the tent of Kudô Suketsune

Publisher: Jô-Yasu

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T125

Title: Kaga no kuni Ataka no shin-seki nite

Yoshilsune shûjû etc.

Description: Benkei reading his scroll (kwanjinchô) to Togashi Sayemon at the Ataka Barrier, he and his party dressed as monks

Publisher: Yeshima

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T126

Title: Yoshinoyama nite Yoshitsune shûjû etc.

Description: The parting of Shidzuka-gozen from Yoshitsune and his followers among the snows of Mount Yoshino

Publisher: Kadzusa-ya Iwazô

Date: c. 1842-1843

Robinson: T127

Title: In Minamoto’s Residence the Earth Spider Appears as a Monster (Minamoto no Yorimitsu-kô no tachi ni tsuchi-gumo yôkwai nasu no zu)

Description: The Earth-Spider and his troop of demons tormenting the sick Raikô (Yorimitsu), while the latter’s retainers play go

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

Date: 8th month of 1843

Robinson: T128

 

NOTE: This is the print that got Kuniyoshi into trouble with the authorities.  It bears no censor’s seal.

‘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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