Okuda Sademon Yukitaka
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Robyn Buntin of Honolulu
- Image courtesy of
- Robyn Buntin of Honolulu
Description
Okuda Sademon Yukitaka, portrayed here in a Kyosai warrior print, was among the younger members of the forty-seven rōnin group. The Akō incident of 1701–1703 — Asano's forced suicide following his attack on Kira Yoshinaka in Edo Castle, the rōnin's long period of concealment, and the eventual night raid — supplied Japanese visual culture with a narrative of loyalty, sacrifice, and martial resolve that remained commercially and emotionally resonant throughout the Edo and Meiji periods. Kyosai's rendering of Okuda Sademon would likely position the figure mid-action, consistent with the dynamic compositional energy the artist brought to historical warrior subjects. Armor detailing — kusazuri, kote, and identifying family crest — serves both documentary and decorative functions in the nishiki-e palette. The oban format accommodates a full standing figure with space for the cartouche identifying the subject.
More Prints by Kawanabe Kyosai
from the series One Hundred Pictures by Kyôsai (Kyôsai hyakuzu)
Woodblock print
Old Picture of the Rashômon Gate (Rashômon no ko zu), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho tsuzuki
Woodblock print
Tsukishimadera Temple in Hyôgo (Hyôgo Tsukishimadera), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi
Woodblock print
from the series One Hundred Pictures by Kyôsai (Kyôsai hyakuzu)
Woodblock print
Frequently Asked Questions
Okuda Sademon Yukitaka was created by Kawanabe Kyosai (河鍋暁斎).