The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa
- Date:
- 1895 (Meiji 28)
- Medium:
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e) triptych; ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban triptych
- Dimensions:
- 37.5 × 72.5 cm
- Source:
- Harvard Art Museums
Description
Captain Asakawa's heroic solo engagement — a cavalry scout who, cut off from his unit, turned and fought an entire Qing patrol before escaping — is depicted in this 1895 triptych as the defining act of individual valor in the First Sino-Japanese War's Manchurian phase. Kiyochika produced the Asakawa episode in multiple versions across 1894–95, each treating a different phase of the narrative. This triptych version shows the heroic fight itself, Asakawa's mounted figure surrounded by adversaries, sword raised against the multiple opponents his legend described.
More Prints by Kobayashi Kiyochika
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Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
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Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
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The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
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Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
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Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親) in 1895 (Meiji 28).
The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa depicts landscapes, figures, and warriors.
The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa measures 37.5 × 72.5 cm (Oban triptych format).