from the series One Hundred Pictures by Kyôsai (Kyôsai hyakuzu)

From the Kyôsai hyakuzu series, this print represents Kyosai's engagement with warrior subjects — samurai, historical battles, or legendary heroes from the chronicles of the Genpei War or the Sengoku period. Kyosai trained under Utagawa Kuniyoshi, the master of musha-e warrior prints, and his warrior compositions bear the influence of that training while departing from Kuniyoshi's elaborate armor ornamentation. Kyosai's warriors are psychologically present rather than decoratively resplendent: their expressions convey moral weight, not merely martial display. The woodblock key block renders armor details with precise parallel carving while facial passages rely on fewer, bolder strokes. The washi ground accepts bokashi gradations that model volumetric form across armor surfaces, supplemented by mineral pigment accents on lacquered fittings and blade edges.