Commander of the Second Army, Army General Ôyama Iwao, from the series Mirror of Army and Navy Heroes (Rikkai gunjin kômyô kagami)

This print from the series Rikkai gunjin kōmyō kagami (Mirror of Army and Navy Heroes) depicts Ōyama Iwao (1842–1916), field marshal and commander of the Second Army during the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95). Kiyochika produced numerous war prints during this conflict, working within a tradition of battle imagery while adapting it to modern uniforms, weaponry, and the reportage demands of Meiji-era print publishing. Ōyama, a Satsuma domain figure who had studied military strategy in Europe, is likely shown in full Meiji military dress with medals and insignia. Portrait prints of commanding generals served a documentary and celebratory function, satisfying public demand for images of military leadership during a war followed closely in Tokyo newspapers.