$500–$4,000. Common subjects: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Ishikawa's prints are relatively uncommon in the market. When available, good examples find ready buyers.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print portrays Toragozen, the legendary courtesan from the Soga brothers' tale of vengeance, one of the most enduring narratives in Japanese literature and theater. Ishikawa Toraji reimagines the heroine not as a passive figure in a revenge drama but as a woman of fierce determination and emotional depth. The color palette and bold linework lend her a commanding presence on the page. By choosing a historical heroine as his subject, Toraji bridges the gap between traditional [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) narrative prints and the modern [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) aesthetic, honoring the past while reinterpreting it for a twentieth-century audience.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Heroine Toragozen was created by Ishikawa Toraji (石川寅治).
Heroine Toragozen was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Heroine Toragozen depicts figures, bijin-ga, and mythology.
