Tanaka Kanhachi
- Date:
- 1869, 3rd lunar month
- Medium:
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 36 × 24.5 cm
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Description
Tanaka Kanhachi was a celebrated Edo-period commoner hero, a gambler and street fighter who became the subject of popular fiction and kabuki plays. This 1869 nishiki-e print depicts him in a moment of violent confrontation, rendered with the raw energy characteristic of Yoshitoshi's warrior and outlaw imagery of the late 1860s. The composition reflects the ongoing popularity of chivalrous outlaw (kyokaku) stories in early Meiji popular culture, when nostalgia for the vanished Edo world ran high.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tanaka Kanhachi was created by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年) in 1869, 3rd lunar month.
Tanaka Kanhachi depicts figures, kabuki, and warriors.
Tanaka Kanhachi measures 36 × 24.5 cm (Oban format).