Akashi Ridayu Hidemoto
Original title: Akashi Ridayu Hidemoto
kurzbeschreibung
Utagawa Kuniyoshi gives this print over to the samurai Akashi Ridayu Hidemoto, who stands before us in full armour. The colour woodblock on paper dates from around 1848 and is an ōban-sized sheet. Among Kuniyoshi's works it belongs to the genre of warrior pictures, musha-e.
Description
Akashi Ridayu Hidemoto holds the middle of the sheet. He wears red armour trimmed with blue and yellow ornaments and carries both a sword and an axe. His stance reads as battle-ready and full of movement, his face set with resolve. A fluffy headpiece sits on his head. Simple flowers and leaves suggest nature behind him. Chinese characters along the margin give the title or a description.
Context
Kuniyoshi made this print around 1848. In those years the Tokugawa shogunate encouraged images of historical warriors as a way of spreading moral virtues. Akashi Ridayu Hidemoto is a historical figure whose deeds are recorded in Japanese military history. Kuniyoshi was known for his dramatic scenes of heroes, which found favour with the urban public.
Impact
Strong colours and the restless pose produce an immediate tension. The clear layout draws the eye straight to the samurai and conveys strength and determination.
Technique
Woodblock printing with ink and colour on paper was used for this sheet. The Japanese colour woodblock allowed bold, high-contrast areas of colour and precise lines of the kind that characterise ukiyo-e.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)