Kazusanosuke Hirotsune from the series One of the Eight Hundred Heroes of the Water Margin of Japan (Honchō Suikoden gōketsu happyakunin no hitori) 「上総助廣常」　『本朝水滸伝剛勇八百人一個』

Object Details

• Artist

  Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳 (1798-1861)

• Publisher

  Kagaya Kichiemon (Seiseido) 加賀屋吉右衛門 (active ca. 1815-1850)

• Label

  After the publication of his popular series of prints based on the Chinese novel The Water Margin, Kuniyoshi began a series ambitiously titled Eight Hundred Heroes of a Japanese Water Margin, All Told. The series, which was not completed, features Japanese heroes. Here Kazusanosuke Hirotsune overcomes a supernatural nine-tailed fox. The fox was believed to be capable of transforming herself into beautiful women in order to seduce powerful men and lure them toward disaster. In this spectacular composition, the fox's fur, a tour de force of fine block engraving, fills the background.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection (September 15, 2002 to January 9, 2003)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  The Anne van Biema Collection

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Kagaya, Kichiemon, Utagawa, Kuniyoshi

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Warrior, Art, Animals, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Anne van Biema collection, Heroes, Ukiyo-e

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints