Yoshitoshi 芳年: The Moon of Ogurusu in Yamashiro 月百姿 山城小栗棲月(Sold)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
Title: The Moon of Ogurusu in Yamashiro
Series: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon月百姿 (Tsuki hyaku sugata)
Date: 1886

A contorted peasant plans the killing of Akechi Mitsuhide, the shogun seen here riding in a war helmet beneath the  moon. As Yoshitoshi was an excellent draftsman, he probably has chosen to portray the peasant as literally twisted, as it was considered against the order of things for a low-born person to kill a lord. Mitsuhide was shogun for only 13 days when he was killed by armed peasants in 1582. Soon after this the military rulers had the farmers disarmed in a “sword hunt”, which was an important step in the development of the samurai as an armed class distinct from the farmers. See Stevenson’s excellent description in his monograph on this series. 

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Unbacked.
Dimensions: ôban vertical (35.5 x 24 cm)
Publisher: Akiyama Buemon
Literature: Stevens, John: “Yoshitoshi’s One Hundred Aspects of The Moon” #19.
Seal: Taiso
Signature: Yoshitoshi

SKU: YOT846