Description
The samurai Sato Tadanobu (佐藤忠信), disguised as Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経) to convince the besiegers that his lord was still within their grasp, thus giving him time to reach safety, confronts at a temple in the Mountains of Yoshino (吉野山) the warrior priest Yokawa Kakuhan (横川覚範) who, with his troops, was threatening Yoshitsune’s retreat towards Kyushu (九州).
The compelling woodblock print presented here, made by the artist Utagawa Yoshimune II (二代目歌川芳宗), was produced in 1892 by the publisher Akiyama Buemon (秋山武右衛門), owner of Kokkeido (滑稽堂), and is taken from the series “Sixty-six Selected Snow Scenes” (撰雪六六談).
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the obvious signs of aging including slight wrinkles and stains, is in overall fair condition.
