Kiyochika: Our Army Attacks the Chinese Camp at Pyongyang

Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
Title: Our Army Attacks the Chinese Camp at Pyongyang (Waga gun Heijô no seiei o osou)
Date: 1894

Bright plumes of of orange smoke light up the night as this battle at Pyongyang during the Sino-Japanese war rages. We see the Japanese troops as lines of shadows at left, with cannons firing from the bank as rafts of men cross the river and seem to release volleys from mid-crossing. No opposing troops are shown, only several structures that have been hit and are exploding into fire. Kiyochika has leveraged his genius with landscape into a scene that would be beautiful if it were not portraying a wartime conflict that involved terrible destruction.

Condition: Excellent impression and color. Very good condition. With large margins and no backing; very minor center fold.
Dimensions: ôban triptych (37.2 x 75.6 cm)
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi
Literature: Virgin et al., Japan at the Dawn of the Modern Age (MFA, 2001), #24, photo p. 67; Smith, Kiyochika (exh. cat., Santa Barbara, 1988), #92; Chaikin, The Sino-Japanese War (1983), cat. no. 26, photo p. 134; Yoshida, Kiyochika (1964), #130. See MFA.
Signature: Kiyochika

SKU: KYC455