Yoshitoshi 芳年: Aoyagi Harunosuke Fighting Underwater

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 芳年 (1839-1892)

Title: Aoyagi Harunosuke Fighting Underwater

Series: Handsome Heroes of the Suikoden (Biyû Suikoden)  Date: 1866

Aoyagi Harunosuke has planted himself in fighting stance on the seafloor, effortlessly catapulting his opponent head over heels. Waving seaweeds in green and red surround the two, the current depicted effectively as distorting the background in undulating waves. The story of Harunosuke seems to originate from The Shiranui Monogatari, a 90-volume illustrated serial novel from the 19th century whose chapters were turned into a kabuki play in 1853. The backstory of Harunosuke is that he was the son of a notorious pirate who was executed by the Kikuchi clan. Harunosuke then goes undercover to orchestrate the clan’s downfall from the inside. He eventually transforms into a rebel sorcerer with supernatural aquatic abilities. Here he grasps a thick, undulating rope that will lead him back to the surface.  This is a first edition, with a two-color explanatory cartouche and extra red lead on the title cartouche.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Unbacked and untrimmed.

Dimensions: vertical chûban 25 x 18.5 cm
Publisher: Kin-Kyû (Ômiya Kyûjirô)
Literature: See “Yoshitoshi Taiso: Fünfzig Helden des Suikoden” by Gottfried Ruetz, (1987);  Keyes 166.14. See Chazen Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art collections online. 
Signature: Kaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu

SKU: YOT953