Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of warriors by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe (published Oxford, 2003).

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

Publications online: 20 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

The warrior Menju Sōsuke Ieteru fighting to retrieve his lord's battle standard

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

    Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

    Menjō Ieteru, ?-1583 (here Menju Sōsuke Ieteru) became a page of Shibata Katsuie at the age of twelve. At the battle of Ise Nagashima, the golden gohei standard of Katsuie was seized by the enemy. Ieteru, then only sixteen years old, asking Katsuie not to risk his own life, retrieved the gohei from the enemy lines and safely brought it back. Katsuie was so pleased that he decided to give part of his name ‘le’ to Ieteru. Later, Ieteru often acted as a double (kagemusha) for Katsuie holding the golden gohei standard in order to deceive his enemies.

    This print shows Ieteru fighting furiously against many enemies, only depicted here by their spears, swords and arrows, trying to retrieve the standard.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum