Sakuma Dennai appears in this 1869 [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) print as a historical warrior figure from the chronicles of Sengoku-period conflict. The print and its preparatory drawing (held in a separate collection) offer the rare opportunity to compare Yoshitoshi's working sketch with the finished printed version, revealing how compositional decisions evolved between the preparatory stage and the woodblock's final state. The vigorous energy of the finished print demonstrates how the mechanical transfer process amplified rather than diminished the dynamism of his original drawings.
1888
Color woodblock print; oban
n.d.
Color woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Sakuma Dennai was created by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年) in 1869, 3rd lunar month.
Sakuma Dennai depicts figures, warriors, and portraits.
Sakuma Dennai measures 34.1 × 23.5 cm (Oban format).
