Preparatory drawing of Sumoto Sakyō

"Preparatory Drawing of Sumoto Sakyō" (1874) is an ink-and-color preparatory sketch for a print depicting a historical figure, likely from a samurai administrative context. The name Sumoto suggests a connection to the castle town of Sumoto in Awaji Province, while Sakyō is an aristocratic title. Such preparatory drawings represent Yoshitoshi's working method, allowing him to resolve compositional questions before committing to the woodblock. The 1874 date places this during his newspaper illustration period, when he balanced commercial work with fine print production.