Description
Polychrome woodblock print of horizontal chuban (中判) format made in May 1882 by the artist Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延). The work is taken from the series “Models of Our Country’s Valor” (本朝武勇鑑) and portrays Naito Sanzaemon Nobunari (内藤三左エ門信成), one of the commanders of the Tokugawa (徳川) army, who during the Battle of Hitokotozaka (一言坂の戦い) falls back under the protection of the rear guard led by Honda Tadakatsu (本多忠勝) and Okubo Tadasuke (大久保忠佐).
The Battle of Hitokotozaka took place on October 13, 1572 in the ancient Totomi Province (遠江国), was fought between the sides of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) and Takeda Shingen (武田信玄) during the latter’s western campaign and represented a preliminary clash to the siege of Futamata Castle (二俣城) and the subsequent Battle of Mikatagahara (三方ヶ原の戦い).
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), produced by the publisher Tsunajima Kamekichi (綱島亀吉), despite the right signs of aging and the gluing residues visible on the back, is in very good general condition.
