Brief Histories of Eighteen Famous People: Saigo Yoshinosuke Takamori

Object Details

• Artist

  Suzuki Toshimoto 鈴木年基 (active 1877-1890s)

• Label

  Saigo Takamori (1827-77) was a leader of the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogun's government and the Meiji Restoration. A samurai from the Satsuma domain, he was an imperial loyalist who assisted the Meiji government in its early years after its establishment in 1868. However, when a dispute arose concerning how to handle a problem in Japanese relations with Korea in 1873, Saigo resigned from the government and returned to Kagoshima. In 1877, he led the Satsuma army, intending to attack the national government at Tokyo, but was defeated by the national army at Kumamoto. Subsequently, as the Satsuma Rebellion was suppressed, Saigo committed suicide.

  This print depicts Saigo's suicide, in which he holds a dagger in his right hand, having removed his jacked and bared his abdomen for his final act, which occurred on September 24, 1877. The autumn season is suggested by the vines and falling leaves around him. There is a detailed biographical text following the series title and Saigo's full name.

  The artist Suzuki Toshimoto lived in Osaka, and was a disciple of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-92), although his style resembled the innovative manner of Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), which was strongly influenced by Kiyochika's study of Western painting techniques. The artist's signature reads "Raisai Toshimoto," and is followed by a square red seal reading "Toshimoto."

• Provenance

  From the 1960s to 1999

  Elizabeth D. Woodbury, Japan and Alexandria, VA, purchased in Japan in the 1960s [1]

  From 1999

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, given by Elizabeth D. Woodbury in 1999

  Notes:

  [1] According to Provenance Remark 1 in the object record.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Elizabeth D. Woodbury

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift--the Elizabeth D. Woodbury collection of prints from Meiji Japan

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1880s, 1870s

• Name

  Woodbury, Elizabeth D.

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Samurai, Japanese Art, Portraits, Death, Elizabeth D. Woodbury collection, Satsuma Rebellion, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), Suicide, Saigo Takamori

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints