Comments - Fantastic scene of the priest Nichiren summoning up Shichimen Daimyojin, the seven-faced dragon deity, to attack a group of warriors threatening the temple of Kuon-ji in Yamanashi. According to legend, a young woman heard Nichiren reciting the Lotus Sutra there and asked to be saved, saying she was a celestial nymph who lived in a pond. He suspected otherwise, and Nichiren caught her true reflection as a red dragon in a vase he placed before her. He ordered the dragon to return to the pond, and serve as the guardian of Kuon-ji. At left, he reads from a sutra as he kneels atop a rocky outcropping. The dragon appears in the sky, accompanied by figures emerging from leafy tree branches bearing swords and pole arms, and an archer letting loose a flurry of arrows. The dragon writhes about the night sky, its head is topped with its six other faces, as arrows and rocks shower down over the surprised samurai, who lift wooden shields above their heads or swing their swords at the air. An incredible illustration of this famous tale, wonderfully detailed.

Artist - Yoshitora (active circa 1840 - 1880)

Image Size - 14 3/8" x 29" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Three separate panels. Holes and thinning spots, repaired. Slight toning, soiling, and rubbing, a few creases and stains. Please see photos for details. Good overall.