Senso-e - Senso-e are prints depicting wars, most often the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 - 1895 and the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 - 1905. Primarily triptychs, these images filled the journalistic need for illustrations of current activities on the battle front, but also acted as propaganda, encouraging support for the wars and fostering patriotism. These prints emphasized the bravery and success of the army and navy, using dramatic designs and bold compositions, with customers eagerly purchasing the latest prints. Some famous Meiji era artists did senso-e, including Kiyochika, Chikanobu, and Gekko. By the time the Russo-Japanese War came around, woodblock prints had fallen out of favor due to competition with photography and lithography, so fewer designs exist from this time period as compared to the Sino-Japanese War.

Comments - Dramatic scene from the Russo-Japanese War. The text at upper right reads: “At 9 a.m. on February 28, outside the Seven-Star Gate at Pyongyang (Heijo), six of our cavalrymen were confronted by scores of enemy horsemen who opened fire. Our soldiers then returned fire and easily repulsed [the enemy].”

Artist - Yoshikuni (active circa 1894 - 1910)

Image Size - 14" x 27 1/2" + top margin as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. A few creases and small marks. Please see photos for details. Good overall.