Yoshu Chikanobu

Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima

Yoshu Chikanobu's original Japanese woodcut, Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima, is printed upon mid nineteenth century mulberry paper with full margins as published in 1877 for the Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima). This scene depicts a heroic battle with Satsuma-based samurai warriors fighting against the old central Meiji government troops on the shores of Kagoshima Bay with the Imperial navy ships steaming toward Sakurajima in the background. The unsuccessful Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan War), of 1877 was led by former government official, Saigo Takamori (1827-1877). The red flags feature the crest of the Shimazu Clan of Satsuma. This is one of many interesting woodcuts Chikanobu and other artists created of contemporary Japanese warfare. One of the most remarkable elements of these works is the manner in which the legendary images of Samurai and Ronin heroes (as portrayed in the classic art of Kuniyoshi and others) has here been transposed to the theatre of modern warfare. Apart from their dress, the heroes on horse-back could be legendary warriors from feudal Japan. This original Japanese woodcut is an important record of the Kagoshima Suppression of 1877 created by the Japanese artist, Yoshu Chikanobu, a master of figure and character studies.

Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima

View other original Japanese Woodcuts by Yoshu Chikanobu.

Yoshu Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Date	Medium	Notes	-
01.-		A Lady in Waiting Hands The Noh Mask to an Actor by Yoshu Chikanobu	October 1895	Original Woodcut (Triptych)	Published by Fukuda Hatsujiro for the Series: Chiyoda Inner Palace (Chiyoda no Ooku)	Sold
02.-		A Young Girl Learning A Song of Enlightenment by Yoshu Chikanobu	November 05, 1883	Original Woodcut	Published by Zaida for the Series: Kaika Kyoiku mari uta (Songs of Enlightenment & Education)	Sold
03.-		Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima by Yoshu Chikanobu	1877	Original Woodcut (Diptych)	Series: Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima)
04.-		Shimousa. Iwahashi no yuki. Kiuchi Sogoro (Snow at Iwahashi in Shimousa Province. Kiuchi Sogoro departing for Edo) by Yoshu Chikanobu	1884	Original Woodcut	Published by Kobayashi Tetsujiro in Setsugekka 'Setsu-gekka' (Snow, Moon and Flowers)
05.-		Sino-Japanese War Chronicle (A Heroic Scene from the War with China) by Yoshu Chikanobu	1895	Original Woodcut (Triptych)	Published by Maki Kinnosuke, Signed Yoshu Chikanobu (right panel)	Sold
06.-		Three Characters in a Kabuki Drama by Yoshu Chikanobu	c. 1880	Original Woodcut (Triptych)	Published by Matsushita Heibei

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Title:	Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima
Artist:	Chikanobu, Yoshu (Japan, 1838 - 1912)
Date:	1877
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut (Diptych)
Series:	Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima)
Note:	Yoshu Chikanobu: A leading Japanese woodcut artist of the Meiji period, Yoshu Chikanobu (Hashimoto Chikanobu), began producing designs in the classic manner of the woodcut masters around 1870, concentrating upon both portrayals of beautiful women and scenes from Japanese legend and folklore. These woodcuts have become famous not only for their striking artistic qualities but for their technical complexities of printing.
	Yoshu Chikanobu studied under Kunichika (1835 - 1900). Kunichika devoted himself to the actor print and his designs were much more traditional than any other Meiji artist. Conversely, Yoshu Chikanobu showed little interest in the accepted actor portrayals and was much more revolutionary in his colouring and design techniques. His primary interest lay in genre depictions, leading him both to scenes of contemporary Japanese events and the study of historical and courtly customs. He was, in fact, the recognized artist of the Japanese aristocracy and as such his actor scenes dealt with the 'Noh' theatre, the drama of the nobility and contemporary Japanese warfare, such as this original woodcut, entitled, "Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima". With the exception of Yoshitoshi, his style was perhaps more individualistic than any other Japanese woodcut artist of the times.
	As little as forty years ago, 'purists' of Japanese art rejected the woodcuts of the Meiji period (1868 - 1912) as being garish and unrefined. The introduction of Western dies and styles (c. 1865) created bold designs began to dominate the Japanese woodcut. Far from ruining traditional Japanese art, Meiji artists injected a new life into the genre by amalgamating Japanese and Western forms and styles. The greatest masters of this era -- Yoshitoshi, Kunichika and Chikanobu -- thus created a number of strikingly unique images and contemporary scholarship now favourably compares their work with the art of earlier nineteenth century designers.
	The Kagoshima Rebellion: Yoshu Chikanobu's original Japanese woodcut, Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji government troops at Kagoshima, is printed upon mid nineteenth century mulberry paper with full margins as published in 1877 for the Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima). This scene depicts a heroic battle with Satsuma-based samurai warriors fighting against the old central Meiji government troops on the shores of Kagoshima Bay with the Imperial navy ships steaming toward Sakurajima. The unsuccessful Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan War), of 1877 was led by former government official, Saigo Takamori (1827-1877). The red flags feature the crest of the Shimazu Clan of Satsuma. During the uprising of the Satsuma Rebellion, the wives and daughters of the samurai rebels joined in the women's brigade of the Kagoshima rebels. This is illustrated in Yoshu Chikanobu's triptych, The Women's Brigade of the Kagoshima Rebels in Brave Battle, Accession Number: 1963.30.5039, housed at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The Satsuma Rebellion lasted nine months, and it is recorded as Japan's last civil war. This is one of many interesting woodcuts Chikanobu and other artists created of contemporary Japanese warfare. One of the most remarkable elements of these works is the manner in which the legendary images of Samurai and Ronin heroes (as portrayed in the classic art of Kuniyoshi and others) has here been transposed to the theatre of modern warfare. Apart from their dress, the heroes on horse-back could be legendary warriors from feudal Japan. This original Japanese woodcut is an important record of the Kagoshima Suppression of 1877 created by Yoshu Chikanobu, a master of figure and character studies.
	In 1877, like many of his contemporary Japanese artists, Yoshu Chikanobu created a series of woodcuts (Triptychs), that portray the Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan Senso), many appearing under the same title, Kagoshima Senki. These include such works as, Kagoshima Senki (Records of the Battle of Kagoshima), housed at the University of Michigan Museum of Art, Record: 1954/1.70, Kagoshima shinbun, Daimyojin Okatakeyama osenso (Kagoshima News: Great Battle at Daimyojin Okatake Mountain), Accession Number: 2000.487a-c, Kagoshima Zokuto heijo no zu (Illustration of the Rebels Being Suppressed at Kagoshima), Accession Number: 2000.488a-c, the latter two housed in the Museum of Fine arts, Boston, Kagoshima zokuto chisei ni yotte shosho tenhai chodai no zu (Leaders of the Pacification of the Kagoshima Rebels Celebrating with Cups of Wine from the Emperor), housed at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Accession number: JP3250, Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima), Registration number: 1983,0701,0.11.1.3, Kagoshima shizoku Kumamoto-jo senso no zu (Battling the Kagoshima Samurai at Kumamoto Castel), Registration number: 1983,0701,0.3.1.3, Kagoshima seito ki (Chronicle of the Subjugation of Kagoshima), Registration number: 1983,0701,0.7.1.3, Kagoshima boto no zu (Rebellious Samurai at Kagoshima), Registration number: 1949,0514,0.12.1-3, Kagoshima senso ki (Chronicles of the Kagoshima War), Registration number: 1983,0701,0.6.1.3, Kagoshima boto tsuito ki (Chronicle of Pursuing the Rebellious Samurai of Kagoshima), Registration number: 1949, 0514,0.12.1-3, the latter six triptychs are housed at the British Museum, London, Battle at Kagoshima Castle, and others. The book, The Last Samurai, The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004 provides important historical and biographical accounts on this subject.
Size:	13 3/4 X 19 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Unmatted
Buy Now	Price: $525.00 US
Condition:	Printed upon nineteenth century mulberry (rice paper) and with full margins as published in 1877. for the Kagoshima senki (Chronicles of the War against Kagoshima). Containing silk worm holes along the top margins and both panels have been glued together by a former owner, else a strong impression bearing all the fine lines and vibrant colours of a very early printing. I suspect this beautiful woodcut was once a triptych and is now lacking its third panel to the right. Altogether, this woodcut of Battle between Saigo Takamori's Samurai Rebels and Meiji Government Troops at Kagoshima represents a prime example of the original art of Yoshu Chikanobu.
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