Kiyochika Kobayashi, Battle of Yalu River, Warship Matsushima, Meiji War
Artist: Kiyochika Kobayashi (1847-1915)
Title: The Battle of Yalu River; Dying Japanese Navy of Warship Matsushima Asking whether the Enemy's survived or not.（黄海之戦我ガ松島之水兵死ニ臨ンデ敵艦之存否ヲ問フ）
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi
Date: 1894
Size: (L)36.3 x 24.5 (C)36.2 x 24.6 (R)36.3 x 24.7 cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
Battle triptychs were produced in large numbers during the Sino-Japanese (1894 - 1895) and Russo-Japanese wars (1904 - 1905) to satisfy widespread interest in the progress of the imperial army and maintain popular support for the conflicts. The prints idealised the heroism of Japanese troops risking their lives for the emperor. As the demand for traditional woodblock prints fell in the Meiji era, many artists turned to wartime propaganda to make ends meet.
Kiyochika Kobayashi
Born in Edo, Kiyochika was the son of a minor government official. He studied Western oil painting under Charles Wirgman and Japanese style painting with Kawanabe Kyosai and Shibata Zeshin. Influenced by imported lithographs and etchings, he turned to woodblock printing. He as also an illustrator for books, magazines and newspapers, having reported and depicted the Russo-Japanese War of 1894 – 1895. In his prints, he produced views of contemporary Tokyo as it changed under the impact of Western influences. Although he was unable to revitalise the ukiyo-e style, he is considered the last of the important ukiyo-e printmakers.
| Print Format | Triptych |
|---|---|
| Artist | Kiyochika Kobayashi |
| Subject | War |
| Dimensions | (L)36.3 x 24.5 (C)36.2 x 24.6 (R)36.3 x 24.7 cm |
| Condition Report | Light creases. |
