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C1852
The Night Attack of the Soga Brothers.
Dramatic triptych woodblock depicting the night attack of the Soga Brothers at Shogun Yoritomo’s hunting camp, at the base of majestic Mt. Fuji. The Revenge of the Soga Brothers occurred on June 28, 1193, during the Fuji no Makigari hunting … Read Full Description
$A 1,250
S/N: JWB-KUNISADA-998–371846
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Details
Full Title:
The Night Attack of the Soga Brothers.
Date:
C1852
Condition:
In good original condition without fading. Three sheets joined.
Technique:
Colour woodblock.
Paper Size:
757mm
x 372mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1852
Description:
Dramatic triptych woodblock depicting the night attack of the Soga Brothers at Shogun Yoritomo’s hunting camp, at the base of majestic Mt. Fuji.
The Revenge of the Soga Brothers occurred on June 28, 1193, during the Fuji no Makigari hunting event organised by shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, was a tale of vengeance and bloodshed. Soga Sukenari and Tokimune, driven by a burning desire to avenge their father, Kawazu Sukeyasu, who had been inadvertently killed by Kudō Suketsune due to a dispute unrelated to Sukeyasu, carried out a daring mission. Their quest for retribution saw the assassination of Suketsune, the man responsible for their father’s death. The Soga brothers’ ruthless determination led to a massacre that sent shockwaves through the event, culminating in a violent encounter with ten samurai, a brutal episode known as “jūbangiri” or the “slashing of ten.” But the Soga brothers didn’t stop there. They continued their rampage, leaving a trail of slain samurai in their wake, to the extent that the exact number of victims remains uncertain, as recounted in the Soga Monogatari.
The events took a tragic turn when Sukenari lost his life in the heat of battle. Tokimune, however, remained undeterred and set out on a perilous mission to assassinate Shogun Yoritomo himself. Regrettably, his journey came to an abrupt end when he was apprehended at the shogun’s mansion. There, Tokimune was interrogated and subsequently met his fate on the executioner’s block for his grievous crimes.
This gripping narrative is chronicled in the historical record, Azuma Kagami, and the epic tale of Soga Monogatari. Over the years, it has captured the imagination of popular culture, standing as one of Japan’s three major vendetta incidents, alongside the Akō vendetta by the 47 Rōnin and the Igagoe vendetta.
Censor seals; Kingugasa 1851/2 Murata 1851/2
Utagawa Kunisada Toyokuni III (1786 - 1865)
Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (1786-1864) Toyokuni was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. In his day, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi. His family owned a small licensed ferry-boat service and the income derived from this business provided a basic financial security. His father died the year after he was born. While growing up, he developed an early talent for painting and drawing. His early sketches at that time impressed Toyokuni, the great master of the Utagawa school and prominent designer of kabuki and actor-portrait prints. In the year 1800 or shortly thereafter Kunisada was accepted by Toyokuni I as an apprentice. In keeping with a tradition of Japanese master-apprentice relations, he was then given the official artist name of "Kuni-sada", the first character of which was derived from the second part of the name "Toyo-Kuni". Beginning around 1810 Kunisada used the studio name "Gototei", which refers to his father's ferry-boat business. Until 1842 this signature appeared on nearly all of his kabuki designs. Around 1825 the studio name "Kochoro" appeared, and was often used on prints not related to kabuki. This name was derived from a combination of the pseudonyms of master painter Hanabusa Itcho, and that of his successor Hanabusa Ikkei, with whom Kunisada had studied a new style of painting around 1824–1825. In 1844, he finally adopted the name of his master Toyokuni I, and for a brief time used the signature "Kunisada becoming Toyokuni II". Starting in 1844–1845, all of his prints are signed "Toyokuni", partially with the addition of other studio names as prefixes, such as "Kochoro" and "Ichiyosai". Although Kunisada referred to himself as "Toyokuni II", he must be regarded as "Toyokuni III".
