Masakiyo’s Challenging Battle, from Taiheiki (Chronicle of great peace)

10th month of 1866
Not on view
This triptych pictures warriors caught up in an explosion. Cartouches identify them as Satō Masakiyo, on horseback at far right, and Shimura Masazō Katsutoyo, tossed upside down at left—both characters from the early medieval epic Taiheiki (Chronicle of great peace). In fact, these men are the historical figures Katō Kiyomasa (1562–1611) and Kimura Shigenari (1593–1615), allies of the leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598). The artist assigned them aliases to avoid censorship laws banning images of samurai who lived after end of the medieval period.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 月岡芳年画 「太平記正清難戦之図」
  • Title: Masakiyo’s Challenging Battle, from Taiheiki (Chronicle of great peace)
  • Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japanese, 1839–1892)
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: 10th month of 1866
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Triptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: Overall (a): 14 3/8 x 10 in. (36.5 x 25.4 cm)
    Overall (b): 14 3/8 x 9 7/8 in. (36.5 x 25.1 cm)
    Overall (c): 14 9/16 x 10 in. (37 x 25.4 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2005
  • Object Number: 2005.351a–c
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.