The Book of the Eight Dog Heroes - This great half-length portrait series by Kunisada II presents characters from the kabuki play based on the epic novel "Satomi and the Eight Dog Heroes" (Nanso Satomi Hakkenden). The Eight Dog Heroes were the mystical offspring of Fusehime, the daughter of Lord Anzai of the Satomi Clan, and a dog. Raised by different families, the brothers did not meet until they were adults, when their many adventures brought them into contact with one another. Each has a surname that begins with "Inu," the Japanese word for dog. These bold images feature large expressive figures set against a night sky or landscape background. Beautifully detailed with fine line work in the hair and bokashi shading in the background, some prints include deluxe treatments such as burnishing or embossing. These handsome designs are a great choice for a collector interested in the samurai tradition, and are rarely seen on the market.

Artist - Kunisada II (1823 - 1880)

Image Size - 14" x 9 1/2"

Condition - This print with nice detail as shown. Paper mounts on reverse at corners. Loss at corner, stitching holes at side, repaired. Wrinkling throughout, vertical folds. Please see photos for details.