Warrior triptychs
1858 - 1861
Title: Soga jû-ban-giri no zu Description: The Soga
brothers’ last fight: Gorô (center), Jurô (top left) and a tent enclosure (right) Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei Date: Horse 2,
March-April 1858 Robinson: T349 |
Title: Kusunoki Ashikaga ô-kassen
no zu (Picture of the battle between the
Kusunoki and the Ashikaga) Description: Battle on the
shore between the Kusunoki and the Ashikaga (probably the Minatogawa
in 1336): Masashige and his men charging, led by Onchi Sakon-tarô, Sagi-no-ike Heikurô,
Wada Izumi no Kami and Hayase Saemon
Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei Date: Horse 2,
March-April 1858 Robinson: T350 NOTE: This triptych
was probably designed by Kuniyoshi about 1850. I am grateful to Davor Solter
for this image. |
Title: Kawanakajima ô-kassen no zu (Battle
of Kawanakajima, 川中島大合戦之圖) Description: Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi Date: 3rd
month of 1858 Robinson: T350a (not in Robinson) I am grateful to Dr. Alexander Wilson for this image. |
Title: Ushiwaka Kurama shugyô zu (Ushiwakamaru
Being Taught Swordsmanship on Description: Ushiwaka Maru practicing fencing among the pine trees of Kuramayama with the tengu under the supervision of
their king, Sôjô-bô. The tengu here are completely birdlike Publisher: Maru-ya Kyûshirô Date: Horse 4,
May-June 1858 Robinson: T351 NOTE: A later edition
dated Cock 8, September 1861 was published by Kagi-ya
Shôbei. |
Title: Kusunoki no jinchû
ni Sugimoto Akiyuki o hakatte meiken o eru no zu (In the Kusunoki
Camp, Sugimoto Akiyuki is Rewarded with an
Inscribed Sword, 楠ノ陣中二杉本顕幸ヲ計テ銘剱ヲ得ノ図) Description: In a seated
assembly Sugimoto Akiyuki receives a famous sword
from Kusunoki Masashige while all present weep Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi Date: Horse 4,
May-June 1858 Robinson: T352 I am grateful to Ole Albæk Pedersen for
this image. |
Title: Akazawa-yama ô-sumô (赤沢山 大相撲) Description: Matano Gorô Kagehisa (股野五郎景久) thrown by Kawazu Saburô Sukechika (河津三郎祐親) in their sumô
wrestling match before Yoritomo umpired by Ebina Genpachi Hirotsuna (河津三郎祐安) Publisher: Maru-ya Kyûshirô Date: Horse 4,
May-June 1858 Robinson: T353 I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this shita-e
(preparatory drawing). |
Title: Ryûgûjô (龍宮城, The Palace of
the Dragon King) Subtitle: Tawara Tôda Hidesato ni sanshu
no tosan wo okuru (田原藤太秀郷に三種の土産を贈る, Tawara Tôda Hidesato
is Given Three Gifts) Description: Tawara Tôda Hidesato, also known as
Fujiwara no Hidesato and as Tawara Toda, is being
escorted through the waves by the Dragon King’s sea creature-retainers. The former received the Three Gifts from Ryujin, the Dragon King, as a reward for killing the
giant centipede. Publisher: Maru-ya Kyûshirô Date: Horse 4,
May-June 1858 Robinson: T354 |
A later edition of the above design dated Cock 8, September 1861
and published by Kagi-ya Shôbei |
Title: The Heike
Meeting to Prepare for War Description: An assembly
in a daimyo’s palace Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Date: 2nd
or 3rd month of 1859 Robinson: Not listed I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image. |
Title: Akamatsu no shiro
mizuzeme no zu (Akamatsu Castel Attacked by Flooding, 赤松之城水責之圖) Description: The
beleaguering of the Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Date: Monkey 8,
September-October 1860 Robinson: T355 |
Drawing for unpublished triptych showing a general (possibly Kato
Kiyomasa) on a horse far left and surrounded by his
soldiers. The censor’s seal is from
the 9th month of 1860. |
Title: Kataki-uchi kidan Jiraiya monogatari: Sôshû Shichiri-ga-hama etc. Description: Jiraiya and his followers, seated on the shore, watch Amame Isobei catching two
miscreants, while Onikubi Kôemon
engages the youth Masajirô and the maiden Midori in
combat Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei Date: Cock 1,
February 1861 Robinson: T356 NOTE: Kuniyoshi
designed this triptych about 1836. |
Title: Untitled Description: Watanabe no Tsuna (瀧口内舎人源次綱), Usui Sadamitsu (靭屓尉碓井貞光), and Sakata
no Kintoki (主馬佐酒田金時), who are Raikô’s retainers, playing go, with attempted interruptions by the Earth-Spider’s demons Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei Date: Cock 1,
February 1861 Robinson: T357 |
I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this drawing. |
Title: Miyamoto Musashi
Sôshû Hakone no sanchû ni ôkami o ooku
taiji shite shinmen o kijutsu o arawashite hajimete Sekiguchi ni mamiyu
(Miyamoto Musashi Subdues a Pack of Wolves in the
Mountains of Hakone in Sagami Province, 宮本武蔵相州箱根の山中に狼を多く退治する圖) Description: Miyamoto Musashi fighting off a pack of wolves in the Hakone
mountains, watched by Sekiguchi Yatarô, seated smoking
by a fire (right sheet) Publisher: Ki-ya Sôjirô Date: Cock 6, July
1861 Robinson: T358 I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for
locating this image. |
I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state of the above design. |
Title: The Heroic
Tales of Jiraiya (Jiraiya Gôketsu Monogatari
(児雷也豪傑物語), Chapter 36 Description: Jiraiya is killing huge snake eyeing a giant toad behind
him Publisher: Date: Robinson: Not listed NOTE: This diptych is
from a 43 volume set of illustrated books (kusazôshi). It bears the signatures of both Kuniyoshi
and Toyokuni |
“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement. CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN
PAGE |