Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki - Few other Japanese woodblock printmakers ever matched Kuniyoshi's detail and artistry in the genre of warrior prints. Published between 1847 - 1850, Kuniyoshi's fantastic series, "Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki (Grand Pacification)," presents fifty full-length portraits of famous warriors involved in the closing period of the civil wars in 16th century Japan, just before unification of the country. These dramatic images show these leaders engaged in battle or posing heroically in all their military glory. Kuniyoshi captures the unique aspects of each warrior, with texts above detailing their heroic careers. To evade the prohibitions enacted in 1804 against depicting historic figures who lived after 1573, each warrior has a pseudonym that would have been easily recognized by the viewers of the time. The actual name of the individual is provided in parentheses. These prints are a great opportunity to collect a part of Japanese history, dynamically documented by the leading master of warrior prints.

Tatenaka Kanbee Shigeharu (Takenaka Hanbee Shigeharu) - Handsome portrait of Takenaka Hanbee Shigeharu, who served Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a military strategist and advisor. He is shown in an interior, surrounded by objects symbolizing his wisdom and scholarship. Scrolls rest on a cabinet behind him, alongside a potted miniature pine of immortality, and a celestial globe encased in an armillary sphere rests on the floor at his side. He makes a Buddhist gesture with one hand, as he looks up, his other hand clasping the hilt of his sword. He wears a green coat patterned with dragons and clouds over a gray kimono, his hair pulled into a bushy ponytail. A nice full-length image of this famous samurai.

Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)

Image Size - 14" x 9 1/2"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Stitching holes along one side from previous folio binding, a few wormholes or holes, most prints have losses at corners, repaired, blends well. Soiling, creasing, and rubbing. Please see photos for details.