Comments - Dramatic scene from the tale of the notorious Shirai Gonpachi. After killing a man during a quarrel, Gonpachi was forced to flee Inaba Province, and set out for Edo. One night he stopped at an inn for the evening, unaware that it was the meeting place of a gang of robbers, who planned to murder him. The young girl Kamegiku, who had been kidnapped by the gang, woke him in the middle of the night to warn him, and a fight broke out. Here, the beauty fires a pistol at Yamanaka Dankuro, the gunshot streaking across the night sky and exploding in his chest, sending him flying backwards in a cloud of smoke. Gonpachi kneels in the center, knocking a robber to the ground with his sword, staring over his shoulder with a stern frown. A fantastic, dark atmospheric design with incredible detail in the expressive faces, and soft shading.

Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 28 1/2"

Condition - This print with good detail as shown. Three separate panels. Vertical folds. Small loss at edges, wormholes, repaired. A few creases and spots, slight rubbing at edges. Please see photos for details.