Series; Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki (Taiheiki Eiyuden)
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.
Suzuki Hida-no-kami Shigeyuki (Suzuki Shigehide) - Outstanding portrait of Suzuchi Hida-no-kami Shigeyuki crouching before a clump of bamboo, the barrel of a smoking gun on the ground behind him. His hat in hand, he leans forward keeping an eye on the enemy as clouds of smoke float across the top left of the scene. Shigeyuki commanded the defense of the Ikko-ikki Buddhist warrior monks of Ishiyama Hongaji Temple during Nobunaga's attacks in the 16th century. A terrific image of this famous hero, beautifully composed with vibrant color.
Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)
Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 3/4"
Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Backed with somewhat stiff paper. Slight toning and soiling, a few creases. Please see photos for details. Good overall.
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