Description
We are in 1582 and a warrior, who carries the signs of the ongoing battle literally stuck on his armor, reports to Lady Hojo (北条夫人), the wife of the daimyo Takeda Katsuyori (武田勝頼). The historical setting is the battle of Tenmokuzan (天目山の戦い), at the end of which Katsuyori, chased by the enemy troops of Oda clan (織田氏) and Tokugawa clan (徳川氏) that completely destroyed his army, committed the ritual suicide seppuku (切腹) together with his wife.
This precious diptych of woodblock prints, made in 1894 by the publisher Takekawa Seikichi (武川清吉), is taken from the series “Stories of Famous Japanese Women” (日本名女咄) by the artist Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延).
The work on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite some just signs of aging, is in very good general condition.
