THE STONE THROWER KIHEIJI (Utagawa Kuniyoshi)

N.1 ukiyo-e woodblock print
Year: 1845
Condition: good
Size: 25 x 37 cm

SOLD

Description

Precious original woodblock print of vertical large oban (大判) format, made by the artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) and depicting on the left the “stone thrower” Hatcho Tsubute Kiheiji (八町礫喜平次), a retainer of the samurai Minamoto no Tametomo (源為朝) and, on the right, his wife Yatsushiro (八代), a warrior capable of stop the arrows using her blade and with whom Kiheiji fought against the Aso clan (阿蘇氏) of the province of Higo (肥後国).

The rare work is taken from the series “Remarkable People Renowned for Loyalty and Virtue” (忠孝名誉奇人伝) and was produced in 1845 by the publisher Iseya Ichibei (伊勢屋市兵衛).

The print, despite the evident aging of the Japanese washi paper (和紙), is in overall good condition.