Warrior triptychs

1845, Part II

 

Title: Fuji Susono Soga kyôdai hommô wa togeru zu (The Soga brothers achieve their revenge on the plain at the base of Mt. Fuji, 富士裾野曽我兄弟本望遂圖)

Description: The Soga brothers’ last fight (1193): Gorô fighting against odds (center), Jurô about to be killed by Tadatsune (right) and Gorô Maru emerging from the tent enclosure (left) in pouring rain

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T159

Title: Takeda Uesugi Kawanakajima ô-kassen no zu (武田上杉川中嶋大合戦の圖, Takeda and Uesugi at the Battle of Kawanakajima)

Description: Uesugi Kenshin (left) on horseback cutting at Takeda Shingen (center)

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

Date: 1845

Robinson: T160

 

NOTE: This triptych is an adaptation of T25.  The title was changed, and Kuniyoshi’s signature was recut.  Nagamochi became Uesugi Kenshin, Tayû-bô became Takeda Shingen and the right hand sheet blocks were recut to eliminate Tomoe-gozen.

Title: Yamamoto Kansuke Haruyuki Nyûdô Dôkisai uchijini no zu

Description: Yamamoto Kansuke (山本勘介) riding to his death through the Uesugi troops at Kawanakajima

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T161

 

I am grateful to Alexander Wilson for this image.

Kuniyoshi - (T162) The irruption of Kenshin into Shingen’s camp-enclosure (Kawanakajima Shingen Kenshin hatamoto ô-kassen no zu)

Title: Kawanakajima Shingen Kenshin hatamoto ô-kassen no zu (川中嶋信玄謙信旗本大合戦之図)

Description: The irruption of Kenshin into Shingen’s camp-enclosure

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T162

 

NOTE: This triptych and the previous triptych may be placed side-by-side to form a six-sheet composition. 

Title: Ichi-no-tani kassen (一の谷合戦, The Battle of Ichi-no-tani)

Subtitle: Hiyodori-goe yori Seto no ura wo miru zu (The Seto shore seen from Hiyodori-goe)

Description: Yoshitsune and his men at the top of the Hiyodori-goe, looking down, with Shigetada carrying his frightened blindfolded horse down the embankment (right) with fighting on the shore below

Publisher: Iba-ya Kyûbei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T162a

 

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

Title: Nagato no kuni Akama-no-ura (In the Great Battle between the Minamoto and the Taira at Akama Bay in Nagato Province, the Taira Clan is Utterly Destroyed, 長門国赤間の浦に於て源平大合戦平家一門悉く亡びる図) 

Description: Yoshitsune’s leap (left) at the Battle of Dan-no-ura on April 25, 1185, with the imperial barge (center) and other boats in combat (right)

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T163

 

NOTE: Yoshitsune’s superhuman “eight boat leap” (hassô-tobi) is usually associated with the Battle of Yashima, rather than the Battle of Dan-no-ura. 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design with a dark sky, also published by Enshû-ya Matabei.

Another state of the above triptych with the seal of the publisher Maru-ya Tetsujirô

 

Enshû-ya Matabei

Maru-ya Tetsujirô

Title: Minamoto no Yoshitsune rotô wo insotsu shite (源義經郎等を引率志て)

Description: Benkei beating Yoshitsune before Togashi at the Ataka Barrier with Kyô-no-kimi (left) protesting

Publisher: Mankyû

Date: 1845

Robinson: T164

Title: The Great War at Kawanakajima (Shinshû Kawanakajima ô-kassen no zu, 信州川中嶋大合戦)

Description: The encounter of Shingen and Kenshin on the riverbank at Kawanakajima: Kenshin on a rearing horse raises his sword; Shingen prepares to receive the blow on his war-fan

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Date: 1845

Robinson: T165

Title: Sôma ni Tarô Yoshikado wa chichi no metsubô no toki tôsai etc.

Description: The Toad Spirit (here called Gama Sennin) instructing Yoshikado and his sister Takiyasha in magic by causing a woman to materialize on his breath

Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô

Date: 1845

Robinson: T166

Another state of the above design published by Daikoku-ya Heikichi

 

Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô

 

 

Daikoku-ya Heikichi

 

 

 

 

Title: Yoshitsune Ôshû-e gekô shite Koromogawa no tachi etc.

Description: Fujinoe, seated reading, approached by Yoshitsune with her husband Tadahira behind

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Date: 1845 (censor Hama Yahei)

Robinson: T167

 

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

Title: Satô Shirô Tadanobu Horikawa no yakata o ochite Shirabyôshi Manshi ga ie ni itaru, ani kore o sonin shite Ema Koshirô Yoshitoki utte ni mukau zu, sono kotowari o koko ni ryaku su (佐藤四郎忠信堀川の館を落て白拍子万子が家にいたる 兄是を訴人して江間小四郎よし時うつてにむかふ図 其ことはりをこゝに畧す)

Description: Satô Shirô Tadanobu (佐藤四郎忠信) standing at bay before his attackers with an overturned go board.  The attacker Ema Koshirô Yoshitoki (江間小四郎義時, on horseback left) and the shirabyôshi dancer Manshi (白拍子万子, right panel) are watching.

Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô

Date: 1845

Robinson: T168

Title: Minamoto no Yorimitsu Ason Tamba no kuni lchihara-no Kidômaru wo taijisuru no zu (The Extermination of Kidômaru, 鬼童丸を退治するの圖)

Description: The discovery of Kidômaru by the retainers of Raikô (also known as Minamoto no Yorimitsu, on horse at right) on Ichihara Moor in Tamba Province

Left panel: Watanabe no Tsuna (渡邊 )

Center panel: Kidômaru (鬼童丸)

Right panel: From left - Urabe no Suetake (卜部 季武), Usui Sadamitsu (碓井貞光), Minamoto no Yorimitsu Ason (源頼光朝臣), and Sakata no Kintoki (坂田 金時)

Publisher: Han

Date: 1845

Robinson: T169

 

NOTE: The website of the British Museum gives the title of this triptych as Kaido-maru wo taijisuru no zu (The Extermination of Kaido-maru, 鬼童丸を退治するの圖)

Title: Yoshioka Ichimisai no musume chichi no ada etc.

Description: The daughters of Yoshioka Ichimisai, backed by Keyamura Rokusuke, fighting Kyôgoku Takumi, their father’s murderer

Publisher: Sawa-ya Kôkichi (left and center sheets) and Maru-ya Jimpachi (right sheet)

Date: 1845

Robinson: T170

In this state, the left panel is entirely different and the right panel has no publisher’s seal.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Title: Untitled

Description: Oniwaka Maru about to leap into the river to attack the monstrous carp that had swallowed his mother

Publisher: Mino-ya Chûsuke

Date: 1845

Robinson: T171

Another state of the above design

Title: Gi---shin-ei- soroi (義勇孝信 英雄そろひ)

Description: O-Seki watching a trial of strength between the two wrestlers Nuregami Chôgorô and Hanaregoma Chôkichi

Publisher: Wakasa-ya Yoichi

Date: 1845

Robinson: T172

 

I am grateful to Tommy Crouch for this image.

Kuniy0shi - (TXXX)  Ichi-No-tani in my collection, which I can not find in your website or in robinson

Title: The Battle of Ichi-no-tani (一ノ谷合戦)

Description: Yoshitsune and his men descending Hiyodori-goe to attack the Taira camp in the Battle of Ichi-no-tani

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

Date: c. 1844-1845

Robinson: Not listed

 

I am grateful to Ole Albæk Pedersen for this image.

 

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

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