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Description
he 1898 print set "Heike monogatari" published by Fukuda Hatsujiro was reissued in 1906 by Narasawa Kenjiro, evidently available with non-Heike or Genji warriors added, of which this is an example. This new collection has appeared under the title "Mirror of Warriors / Busho kagami" and in an "Illustrated educational history book / Kyoiku rekishi gafu" and included scenes from the "Chronicle of the Great Pacification / Taiheiki" which concerns wars of the 14th century and scenes from the "Biography of Heroes of the Chronicle of Great Pacification / Taiheiki eiyuden" which concerns the struggle for power in 16-17th century Japan. The later work was written by Ryukatei Tanekazu (1807-1858) and illustrated in 1846-1847 by Utagawa Kuniyoshi in a set of 50 single sheets. Chikanobu had studied with Kuniyoshi about 10 years later, from about 1852-1856, but may have known his master's work. Thus, in a way, Chikanobu is ending his career by revisiting the warrior prints / musha-e made popular by Kuniyoshi, but treating the subjects quite differently. This print shows Oda Nobunaga and Yasuda Sakubei at Honnoji in Kyoto. Nobunaga had unified much of Japan by 1582, but used ruthless means and made many enemies. Akechi Mitsuhide (1526-1582) was one of those who had ininially supported Nobunaga but then turned against him because Nobunaga had murdered Mitsuhide's mother. Mitsuhide asked to meet Nobunaga at the Buddhist temple of Honno-ji, but then staged a coup d'etat, attacking Nobunaga's men and setting fire to the buildings. The exact cause of Nobunaga's death is still uncertain - some say he committed suicide while others say he died in the blaze during the fighting. Chikanobu shows Nobunaga valiantly leaping from the burning hall, eluding the sword of Yasuda Sakubei (d. 1582), one of Mitsuhide's men. Later Yasuda was killed at Honno-ji by Nobunaga's close associate Hori Ranmaru (1565-1582), who also died in the flames. While this event was tragic and bloody, Chikanobu's image almost seems like a "leap for life."
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