Picture of the Naval Battle of Pungdo in Korea

Date:: August 1894
Medium:: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Format:: Oban
Dimensions:: 37.5 × 74.6 cm
Source:: Art Institute of Chicago

Typical Price

$1,500–$40,000+. War prints, common subjects: $1,500–$5,000. Key value factors: The early Tokyo views with Western light effects are his most prized works. War prints are more common and less valued.

Description

"Picture of the Naval Battle of Pungdo in Korea" is a dramatic ukiyo-e / Meiji modernization print by Kobayashi Kiyochika that brings to life the warrior traditions of Japanese history and legend. Created during the Meiji period, this work demonstrates the artist's mastery of dynamic composition and narrative intensity.

Kobayashi Kiyochika was renowned for bringing visceral energy to martial subjects, and this print showcases that talent through bold linework, dramatic postures, and the interplay of action and restraint that characterizes the finest warrior prints.

This print represents Kobayashi Kiyochika's contribution to the ukiyo-e / Meiji modernization tradition during the Meiji period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.