Sailor Third Class of the Katsuragi Nishikawa Hatsutarô, from the series Mirror of Army and Navy Heroes (Rikkai gunjin kômyô kagami)

A print from the series Rikkai gunjin kômyô kagami (Mirror of Army and Navy Heroes), this work commemorates Nishikawa Hatsutarō, a Sailor Third Class serving aboard the warship Katsuragi. The inclusion of specific ship assignment and enlisted rank rather than officer status is notable — such series often focused on named officers, and the recognition of a third-class sailor signals a broader public interest in honoring ordinary seamen alongside commanders. Kiyochika renders Nishikawa in naval uniform, likely with identifying text panels flanking the portrait in the manner of traditional actor and warrior prints. The Katsuragi was a Japanese naval vessel active during the Russo-Japanese War period, and Hatsutarō's specific act of heroism would have been identified in accompanying text. The print's format — oban vertical with portrait figure and text blocks — follows the conventions Kiyochika established across the Mirror series, producing a coherent set of military memorial prints for a broad commercial audience.