Two Ronin

Two armored ronin dominate the composition against a bokashi background that fades from deep indigo at the top to pale gray-green below. The standing figure grips a raised spear and bites at his sleeve with a fierce expression, wearing black armor edged in white triangular scale-pattern trim over a red-and-gold patterned underlayer; the second figure kneels low in front, also gripping a spear, with a fur or hair headband and a bright kimono skirt patterned in gold, blue, and red florals, a sword sheathed at his waist. A vertical cartouche of Japanese text and white flowering branches occupies the upper right, with a red seal and additional inscriptions in the lower right corner. This print, "Two Ronin" by Kawanabe Kyosai, is a mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock print) of unknown date.