Paintings of the 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden

 

There are twelve extant ink and color paintings, generally considered to be by Kuniyoshi, that are in the same style as Kuniyoshi’s print series The 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, with the same title cartouche.  All the paintings are unsigned, and each portrays a Suikoden hero who is not represented in the 74 published prints. It is not clear whether these are preliminary studies for additional prints that were never published, or completed works of art.

 

 

Japanese name: Shutsudôkô Dôi (出洞蛟 童威)

Chinese name: Tong Wei

Scene: Shutsudôkô Dôi wringing out his cloths after escaping through water-gate with the warning bells behind him

 

Japanese name: Hekirekika Shinmei (霹靂火 秦明)

Chinese name: Qin Ming

Scene: Hekirekika Shinmei standing beside a wall with his favorite weapon, a toothed mace

 

Japanese name: Sôben Koenshaku (呼延 呼延灼)

Chinese name: Huyan Zhou

Scene: Sôben Koenshaku

wielding a pair of steel rods in battle

 

 

Japanese name: Sensuishô (or Seisuishô) Tanteikei (聖水將 單廷珪)

Chinese name: Shan Tinggui

Scene: Sensuishô Tanteikei carrying a spear along side a torrent of water he diverted to flood the enemy

 

Japanese name: Botsumenmoku Shôtei (沒面目 焦挺)

Chinese name: Jiao Ting

Scene: Botsumenmoku Shôtei with drawn sword climbing through a window

 

 

Japanese name: Tetsusenshi Sôsei (鐵扇子 宋清)

Chinese name: Song Qing

Scene: Tetsusenshi Sôsei throwing an opponent down some stairs

 

 

 

Japanese name: Kohôgi Sôkô (呼保義 宋江)

Chinese name: Song Jiang

Scene: Kohôgi Sôkô killing his adulterous wife Yan Poxi in a struggle for a letter

 

Japanese names: Seigankô Riun (青眼虎 李雲) and Kokusenpû Riki (黒旋風李逵)

Chinese names: Li Yun and Li Qui

Scene: Seigankô Riun arresting Kokusenpû Riki by a waterfall

 

 

 

Japanese name: Shinkashô Giteikoku (神火將 魏定國)

Chinese name: Wei Dingguo

Scene: Shinkashô Giteikoku attacking Guan Sheng with his fire weapons

 

 

Japanese name: Tetsumenkômoku Haisen (鐵面孔目 裴宣)

Chinese name: Pei Xuan

Scene: Tetsumenkômoku Haisen escaping over a roof with falling roof tiles

 

 

 

Japanese name: Honkôshin Dômô (翻江蜃童猛)

Chinese name: Tong Meng

Scene: Honkôshin Dômô (the river-churning clam) on a rock ledge clasping a rope above turbulent water

 

I am grateful to Anne Papillon d'Alton and Robert Pryor for this image and information.

 

 

 

Japanese name: Hyakushôshô Kantô (百勝将韩㴞)

Chinese name: Hán Tāo

Scene: Hyakushôshô Kantô (the hundred victory general) on a balcony holding his long wooden lance

 

I am grateful to Anne Papillon d'Alton and Robert Pryor for this image and information.

 

 

 

 

“Robinson” refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). 

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