[YOSAI NOBUKAZU] 楊斎延一.

日清大激戦之圖. [Nisshin daigekisen no zu].<BR> [Illustration of a large intense engagement, Sino-Japanese War (Battle of Asan), 1894].

Yokoyama. Ryohachi (?). 1894. Stock ID #218366

Conjoined triptych of ink and watercolour woodblock prints (trimmed to the margins), together 35 x 63.3 cm, backed onto Japanese scrap paper with some writing, title and descriptive cartouches top right, red censor's stamp lower left and artist's signature lower right, some paper abrasions, wear at the joins, slight bleeding of ink, and offsetting on the verso, but overall in good condition.

Vivid depiction of the Battle of Seonghwan [also known as the battle of Asan] in Korea, July 29, 1894, the first major land battle on of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). Chinese troops are seen fleeing the charging Japanese marines and the silhouettes of airborn casualties are depicted in the bright orange explosion.

Yōsai Nobukazu (1872-1944) was active towards the very end of the ukiyo-e period, when the popular days of this style were over. Printmakers like Yōsai struggled and he survived as an artist by depicting the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars. Yōshū Chikanobu was his teacher (active 1838-1912) and Yōsai Nobukazu was considered his best student. The majority of his prints were triptychs of battles of the Sino-Japanese war. (See a digitisation of this woodblock from the Lavenberg Collection of Japanese prints, online at the University of Oregon) The caption on top right praises the Japanese troops' bravery against 500 strong Chinese troops.

From the collection of the late John Caiger, lecturer in Asian studies, ANU.

When referring to this item please quote stockid 218366.

Price: $525.00 AU

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