Issued in February 1904, just weeks after the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, this print depicts a Japanese torpedo striking a Russian warship in the surprise attack on the Port Arthur roads that opened hostilities. Kiyochika renders the moment of impact — a geyser of white water, a listing hull, the flash of fire — with the immediacy of a news illustration. The print was among the first of dozens he produced during the Russo-Japanese conflict, rapidly translating telegraph dispatches into woodblock imagery for a news-hungry Tokyo public.
Woodblock print
Hansen, yoru
1926
Color woodblock print
1915
Color woodblock print
Hansen, asa
1926
Color woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
A Torpedo Hitting a Russian Warship was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親) in February 1904.
A Torpedo Hitting a Russian Warship depicts boats & ships, seascapes, and night scenes.
A Torpedo Hitting a Russian Warship measures 37.5 × 71.3 cm (Oban format).
