Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (1786-1865)
The legendary female warrior Tomoe Gozen (c. 1157-c.1247) defeating the Taira warrior Musashi Saburôzaemon Arikuni in battle.
Title: 木曽義仲妾巴御前 - Kiso Yoshinaka no mekake Tomoe Gozen (Tomoe Gozen, the mistress of Minamoto Yoshinaka)
Signature: Kôchôrô Kunisada ga
Publisher: Moritaya Hanzô, Edo
Censorship: Kiwame and censor Hama
Date: first ed. c. 1835, this ed. c. 1843-46
Size: Vertical Ôban, 37,4 x 25,2 cm (overall)
Excellent, strong impression in excellent colours. Full sheet, unbacked. On the right side along the margin a fold and a few smaller wormholes, some tiny holes and thinner spots (professionally restored). Overall very nice condition.
With additional censor seal Hama cut into the block. From an until now unrecorded, little later edition. Extraordinarily rare, outstanding image. So far only one copy, cf. Horst Graebner, Kunisada.de (http://www.kunisada.de/Kunisada-musha-e/mushae-2.htm)
sold