Kiyochika: Women Warriors (Sold)

Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
Title: Women Warriors
Series: Kagoshima Newspaper: Biography of Personalities (Kagoshima Shimbun meimei-den)
Date: 1877

A woman, dressed for battle as best as she can, stands with one hand on a Japanese halberd, sword tucked into her belt. Her sleeves are tied back as well as her hair, and she looks towards what must be the battlefield. Her companion offers aid to a wounded man.  The text in the inset cartouche describes the scene: "When the rebel troops from Kagoshima occupied all the entrances of the Kumamoto castle, the battle began. When the battle cry of the rebels was raised, one heard the women’s voices among them. When one watched the scene closely, one could see women among the rebels, running among them. They run around with their sleeves tied up with a crossed cord, a sword on hip, and a Japanese halberd in hand. These are reported to be women’s troops." This work is untitled.

This scarce series consists of special issues of the Kagoshima Newspaper, creating visual biographies of figures related to the Satsuma Rebellion (Sei-nan sensó) in 1877, the last domestic rebellion against the New Meiji Government, which took place in Kyúshú, in present Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki Prefectures.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban
Publisher: Takegawa Kiyochikichi
Seal: Artist’s seals
Signature: Kiyochika

SKU: KYC427