Musha-e - Literally translated as "warrior pictures," musha-e became popular during the Edo era, depicting both samurai from myth and legend and historic figures. Subjects range from single portraits of famous generals to lively battle scenes filled with action, by artists such as Kuniyoshi, Sadahide, and Yoshikazu. Subjects from the Meiji era often depict the Satsuma Rebellion between disaffected former samurai and the Imperial Army, the Sino-Japanese War against China, or the Russo-Japanese War, a genre known as senso-e (literally "war pictures"). Nicely detailed, these great images are a nice choice for a collector interested in the warrior tradition.

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.

Brave Warriors of the Shimazu Clan, 1877 - Handsome group portrait of brave warriors from the Shimazu clan, who controlled the Satsuma domain, the area which gave the Satsuma Rebellion its name. At left, a general sits astride a horse, gripping a tasseled baton as he looks ahead with a fierce expression. A samurai standing next to him holds a furry black standard while another wearing a helmet with a crescent moon rests an iron club against his shoulder. At right, two heroes sit on folding stools. Nice expressive figures, with fine detail in the armor.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 14 1/8" x 19 1/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with good color and detail as shown. Two separate panels. A few small repairs, creasing. Please see photos for details.