Miscellaneous Warrior Prints,

Part I

This is the inevitable final catch-all or miscellany comprising untitled and unclassified warrior prints which do not fit in with either the regular series or the triptychs. They are listed as S95 in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982).

Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Title: Act XI of “The Chûshingura”, the night-attack (Chûshingura jûichi damme yo-uchi no zu, 十一段目 夜討之圖) Description: Moonlit street-scene with western effects of clouds and shadows; the rônin scaling the wall of Moronao’s mansion Publisher: No seal Date: c. 1830-1835 Robinson: S95a.1
I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design.
1682 print by Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672) titled Stats Meesters en Konstenars Woningen (Houses of Government Officials and Artists [in Batavia]) that Kuniyoshi obviously copied in designing the above print.
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Title: O-Kane the strong woman of Ômi Province (Ômi no kuni no yûfu O-Kane, 近江の国の勇婦 於兼) Description: In an unearthly landscape with sensational cloud effects, O-Kane steps on the leading-rein of a runaway brown horse that kicks up its heels towards her Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei Date: c. 1830-1835 Robinson: S95a.2
Another state of the above design
A copy of this French translation of Aesop’s Fables illustrated by British artist Francis Barlow (c. 1626-1704) was owned by painter Ishikawa Tairô (石川大浪) and sometime after his death passed into Kuniyoshi’s possession.
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Title: Anglers in the Depths of the Mountains (Fukayama no tsuribito, 深山のつり人) Description: Heavily wooded landscape (western style) with river and pool; two fishermen on a ledge and a huge snake appearing under the water and partly among the trees Publisher: No seal Date: c. 1830-1835 Robinson: S95a.3 This sheet is described as a keyblock print on the website of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for locating the image.
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Description: Sanada Yoichi Yoshisada (真田與一義貞) and Matano Gorô Kagehisa (股野五郎景久) struggling on the sea-shore at Ishibashiyama Publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi Date: c. 1835 Robinson: S95b.1
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Description: Katô Kiyomasa (加藤主計頭清正), a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, fighting the Korean tiger; plain background flecked with orange Publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi Date: c. 1835 Robinson: S95b.2
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Description: Yorimasa and his retainer Ii no Hayata dispatching the monstrous nue Publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi (seal name Hôidô han) Date: c. 1835r Robinson: S95b.3 NOTE: This unsigned ôban print is attributed to Kuniyoshi by Robinson. It is a copy of a 1787 votive tablet in the Asakusa Kannon Temple measuring 2.65 x 3.52 meters, which was painted by Kô Sûkoku: I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these images and information.
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Description: Nitta Shirô Tadatsune (仁田四郎忠常) killing the giant wild boar during Yoritomo’s hunt on the moor below Mount Fuji Publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi Date: c. 1835 Robinson: S95b.4
Another state of the above design
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Title: Hayashiya Shôzô’s Ingenious Ghost Stories (Hayashiya Shôzô kufû no kaidan, 林屋正蔵工夫の怪談) Subtitle: A Haunted House with 100 Stories (Hyaku monogatari bakemono yashiki no zu, 百物語化物屋敷の図) Description: A ruined mansion at night, with three peasants terrified by an alarming variety of supernatural manifestations Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô Date: c. 1840 Robinson: S95b.5
Format: ôban (approximately 10 by 14 inches or 25 by 36 centimeters) Title: None Description: Wada Yoshimori (和田義盛) and Tomoe Gozen (巴御前) in combat Publisher: No seal Date: c. 1833-1835 Robinson: Not listed I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Tokiwa-gozen and her children in the snow; a village in the background Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.1
	Another state of the above design
	Another state courtesy of Robert Pryor
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Tokiwa Gozen with her three children. Tokiwa Gozen and Imawaka are holding Otowaka and Ushiwaka in their arms. Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.1a I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Shizuka-gozen in her shirabyôshi costume beneath a rolled bamboo blind Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.2
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Kaga no kuni Chiyo-jo (加賀の国千代女) with her bucket by the well looking down at morning glories. Rather than disturb them, she will go to a neighbor for water. Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.3
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Anju-hime carrying buckets of salt water on the shore Publisher: Maru-ya Jimpachi Date: c. 1840 Robinson: S95c.3a
	Another state of the above design with orange on top
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Title: Takeda Daizen Daibu Harunobu Nyûdô Shingen, Ready for Battle at Kawanakajima in Shinano Province in the Eleventh Month of 1553 (Tenmon nijûninen jûichigatsu Shinshû Kawanakajima shutsujin no zu, 武田太膳太夫晴信入道信玄　天文廿二年十一月信州川中島出張之圖) Description: Takeda Daizendayû Harunobu Nyûdô Shingen seated on a stool in his traditional helmet and holding his war-fan charged with astrological symbols. Fangs are visible at the corners of his mouth. Publisher: Yorozu-ya Jûbei Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.4
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Title: Uesugi Danjô Daihitsu Terutora Nyûdô Kenshin, Ready for Battle at Kawanakajima in Shinano Province in the Eleventh Month of 1553 (Tenmon nijûninen jûichigatsu Shinshû Kawanakajima shutsujin no zu, 上杉弾正大弼輝虎入道謙信　天文廿二年十一月信州川中島出張之圖) Description: Uesugi Danjô Daihitsu Terutora Nyûdô Kenshin seated on a stool with a monk’s hood over his helmet with the paulownia crest between horns Publisher: Yorozu-ya Jûbei Date: c. 1835-1840 Robinson: S95c.5 I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真) in Tenmangû Shrine wearing court robes with a scepter seated on a platform under an awning; below him, two palace guards seated, and two stone lions Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon Date: c. 1840 Robinson: S95c.6
	Another state of the above kakemono-e.
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: The seven gods of good fortune (Shichifukujin) Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon Date: 1842-1846 (censor Murata Sahei) Robinson: S95c (not listed)
	A later state of the above kakemono-e published by Yamashiro-ya Jinbei
	I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this additional state of the above design also published by Yamashiro-ya Jinbei.
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Title: None Description: Full-length standing beauty in elaborate robes playing with a cat, possibly the Third Princess from The Tale of Genji Publisher: Maru-ya Jinpachi Date: c. 1840-1842 Robinson: S95c (not listed)
	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Title: The Tenjin Sutra (天神経) Description: Sugawara no Michizane, who is also known as Tenjin, riding on an bull reading a scroll Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon Date: c. 1818 Robinson: S95c (not listed)
	Another state of the above design published by Yamashiro-ya Jinbei
	I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this additional state of the above design.
	Format: Kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Scene: Sugawara no Michizane (菅原の道真) standing in full court robes, copy of a painting by Ise Sadatake Publisher: Aritaya Seiemon (here written as Toto (Edo) Yûreidô (東都 有永堂) Date: 1843 (censor Tanaka Heishirô) Robinson: S1f.13 NOTE: Kuniyoshi’s signature is unusual, reading Chô-ô-rô Kuniyoshi kinga (朝櫻楼 国芳 謹画). I am grateful to Horst Gräbner for the image.
An enlargement of the text in the preceding 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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