Kunisada: General Ma Chao , One of the Five Tiger Generals (Goko shôgun no uchi: Bachô) (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada
Title: General Ma Chao , One of the Five Tiger Generals (Goko shôgun no uchi: Bachô)
Series: From Five Brightly Colored Banners (Goku saishiki gohon nobori no uchi)
Date: Tempo era (ca. 1835-37)

The Five Tiger Generals were heroes in the Chinese historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (called Sangokushi engi in Japanese) which was written by Luo Guan Zhong in the 14th century, based on the Record of Three Kingdoms (called Sangokushi in Japanese) wrriten by Chen Shou in the third century. Romance of the Three Kingdoms covers the turbulant years from the end of the Han Dynasty, starting in AD 169 and ending with the reunification of Three Kingdoms, Wei, Shu, and Wu in 280, when the Jing Dynasty became the defacto ruling dynasty in China. The Five Tiger Generals were generals of Kingdom of Shu: Guan Yu (? - 219), Zhang Fei (166-221), Zhao Yun (?-229), Ma Chao (176-222) and Huang Zhang (?-220). Ma Chao was the child of mixed blood: Han Chinese and Quiang.In the northwest, Ma Chao started a campaign against Cao Cao to avenge his father, Ma Teng, who was killed by Cao Cao. Ma Chao’s troops, aided by Han Sui and the Quiang minority faught well, yet Cao Cao managed to defeat them by using cunning strategies to make Ma Chao and Han Sui to run against each other. Han Sui surrendered to Cao Cao (The battle of Tong Pass in 211). Ma Chao sought refuge under Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, and eventually joined Liu Bei. The print shows a determined looking Ma Chao on horseback, carrying a huge axe in his hand. The set of five images was designed to match Kunisada’s series of Japanese warriors, “Banners for Parlor Decorations” (Gohi zashiki nobori) .

Dimensions: vertical nagaban
Publisher: Kinridô (Moriya Jihei)
Literature: Ref.:“Kunisada’s World” Japan Society, Inc. New York, 1993. p.165
Seal: his seal: Hanabusa Ittai; Censor’s seal kiwame
Signature: Kôchôrô Kunisada ga

SKU: KUS243