Yoshiiku Utagawa, Lord Yorimitsu Entering Mt. Oe, Warrior
Artist: Yoshiiku Utagawa (1833-1904)
Title: A Picture of Lord Yorimitsu Entering Mt. Oe
Publisher: Tsujiokaya Bunsuke
Date: 1858
Dimensions: (L) 25 x 37.2 (C) 25.2 x 37.2 (R) 24.9 x 37.3 cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
In this print, Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948–1021), a regent of the Fujiwara clan, is shown with his retinue at the location of one of his famous military exploits, Mt. Oe. Here, Yorimitsu dispersed a group of bandits who made the mountain their camp. The warrior’s military might and loyalty enabled him to serve in many high governmental positions, eventually becoming an Imperial Guard regiment commander and a secretary of the Ministry of War. The multiple reinterpretations of his character in contemporary Japanese culture shows his ongoing importance in Japanese history.
Yoshiiku Utagawa
Born the son of teahouse proprietor Asakusa Tamichi in 1833, Yoshiiku became a student of ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi toward the end of the 1840s. His earliest known work dates to 1852 when he provided the backgrounds to some actor prints by his master. Yoshiiku's earliest works were portraits of actors, beauties, and warriors. He later followed Kuniyoshi into making satirical and humorous pieces, and became the leading name in the field after Kuniyosh's death in 1861.
| Print Format | Triptych |
|---|---|
| Artist | Yoshiiku Utagawa |
| Subject | Samurai & Male |
| Dimensions | (L) 25 x 37.2 (C) 25.2 x 37.2 (R) 24.9 x 37.3 cm |
| Condition Report | Some minor tears and holes. Paper residue from previous backing. |
