Kuniyoshi: Rain of Arrows (Sold)
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Title: Rain of Arrows
Date: ca. 1851-52
The last stand of the Kusunoki Clan at Shijo-nawate in 1348. Nanke yushi Shijo-nawate nite uchijini. Wada Shinboshi (Genshu) leads the counterattack, holding two severed heads to shield his own head against the incoming rain of arrows. In the middle sheet is Masatomo, who holds a lowered standard as halfhearted camouflage.To the left is Kusunoki Matsutsura, who crouches between a fallen horse and some planks of wood, holding the body of an expired samurai as a shield. There are two triptychs of this name with similar compositions that were published in 1857.
Condition: Excellent impression; very good color and condition. Very minor trimming at top and light fold near 2 of the left margins.Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijiro
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga
Literature: See Timothy Clark’s “Kuniyoshi from the Arthur R. Miller Collection”, no. 32, page 93. Robinson T271. Riccar 1978, no. 106; Springfield 1980, no. 179; V&A 1991, no. 92.
SKU: KUC204