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.

Aigo Gozaemon Hisamitsu (Haigo Gozaemon Hisamitsu) - Great portrait of Haigo Gozaemon Hisamitsu on a rearing horse in the midst of battle, gripping a bloody spear with one hand. A retainer of the Oda clan, Hisamitsu served under Shibata Katsuie at the famous Battle of Shizugamine, where he lost his life after hours of heavy fighting. His physical state betrays the length of the battle, with broken arrows piercing his armor, and blood flowing from wounds to his face, shoulder, and torso, his helmet lost in the fighting. A lively actions scene and one of only two designs in the series to depict a samurai on horseback.

Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)

Image Size - 14 3/8" x 9 3/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. A few small holes, repaired. Toning, slight soiling, a few creases and spots, a few faint marks. Please see photos for details. Good overall.