The Satsuma Rebellion - Known in Japanese as the Seinan Senso or Southwestern War, the Satsuma Rebellion took place in 1877 between disaffected former samurai and Meiji Imperial forces. With the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Meiji restoration of the Emperor in 1867, the samurai class was abolished, leaving this once ruling class unemployed and impoverished. Led by former Imperial Army General Saigo Takamori, samurai from the Satsuma domain in Kagoshima rebelled against the government, leading to a series of battles that ultimately ended in the defeat of the rebels at the Battle of Shiroyama, with Saigo committing seppuku or ritual suicide. Woodblock prints of the conflict were popular, providing accounts of the latest battles to a public eager for news.

Meiji 10: Legends of Warriors - Great image from Yoshitaki's series depicting heroes of the Satsuma Rebellion, which took place in Meiji 10 (1877). Woodblocks of this subject are quite rare for Osaka artists, who most often depicted kabuki subjects. The series features portraits of both men and women, including rebel samurai and Meiji Imperial Army soldiers. Some are shown in quiet moments while others are depicted in the midst of battle. The army subjects include burnishing on the black boots, caps, and the black trim on the jackets. Sensitively drawn and carefully detailed, these rare designs are a nice choice for a student of history or a collector of kamigata-e or prints from the Osaka region.

Artist - Yoshitaki (1841 - 1899)

Image Size - 9 3/4" x 7 1/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Slight toning and soiling. Some prints have a few creases or light stains. Please see photos for details.