Yoshitoshi 芳年: Moon Over Mount Inaba (Sold)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) 芳年
Title: Inaba Mountain Moon
Series: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon 月百姿 (Tsuki hyaku sugata)
Date: 1885

We see a fearless soldier (presumedly the famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi) scaling the cliff face of Mount Inaba in order to penetrate Gifu castle for Oda Nobunaga in 1564. Yoshitoshi has surprised us with the giant full moon placed below the foot of this famous military man, giving us a sense of the height of the cliff that he is scaling. Upon reaching the castle, he was to give the signal to the waiting army below by raising water-gourds on bamboo poles. Here we see his water-gourd tied to his back, along with his katana sword which is seen here as a strong diagonal element. The susuki grass that is silhouetted against the moon gives a sense of being in a wild and deserted place.

Condition: Very good impression and condition; excellent color. 
Dimensions: ôban vertical (35.5 x 24 cm)
Publisher: Akiyama Buemon
Literature: Stevens, John: “Yoshitoshi’s One Hundred Aspects of The Moon”, Hong Kong, 1988. #7. See British Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Portland Art Museum, RISD Museum collections. 
Seal: Yoshitoshi no in
Signature: Yoshitoshi

SKU: YOT815