Description
In the fourth century, during the reign of the sixteenth emperor Nintoku Tenno (仁徳天皇), General Tamichi (将軍田道), charged with quelling the indigenous of northern Japan, was killed in battle. But, while his Ainu (アイヌ) enemies were digging his grave, his ghost appeared in the form of a great snake and, according to legend, continued to fight until victory.
This important woodblock print, of vertical large oban (大判) format, was made by the artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年), is titled “The Ghost of the Great General Tamichi” (大将軍田道の霊) and is taken from the series “Mirror of Famous Generals of Great Japan” (大日本名将鑑).
The work, printed in February 1880 by the publisher Funatsu Chujiro (船津忠次), despite the right signs of aging and imperfections on the corners, is in good general condition.
