Who painted Kashiwade no Hatebe?

Kashiwade no Hatebe was painted by Utagawa Kuniyoshi in 1834.

Where can I see Kashiwade no Hatebe?

Kashiwade no Hatebe is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Kashiwade no Hatebe?

Kashiwade no Hatebe is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Kashiwade no Hatebe?

Museum-quality prints of Kashiwade no Hatebe are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Kashiwade no Hatebe

Utagawa Kuniyoshi , 1834

Kashiwade no Hatebe is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Kashiwade no Hatebe is an early 19th-century drawing by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, depicting a warrior battling a tiger. It serves as a hanshita-e, a preliminary drawing intended for woodblock printing, though it was never published as a print.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing represents Kashiwade no Hatebe, a figure from Japanese history or mythology, embodying the musha-e genre, which focuses on heroic warriors from legendary and historical narratives.

Technique & Style

This work showcases Kuniyoshi's adeptness in design and draughtsmanship, characteristic of his early style, with precise lines and dynamic composition capturing the intensity of the battle scene.

History & Provenance

Created early in Kuniyoshi's career, the drawing is a rare, unpublished example of his hanshita-e, highlighting his affinity for historical and mythological themes from an early point in his artistic journey.

Context

Produced during a time when musha-e was a popular genre, the drawing reflects the contemporary interest in heroic figures from Japan's past, while also previewing Kuniyoshi's long-standing fascination with such subjects.

Legacy

Though never printed, Kashiwade no Hatebe contributes to the understanding of Kuniyoshi's development, particularly his design skills and thematic preferences, influencing the study of his later, more renowned works.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Kuniyoshi grew up in old Tokyo when the city was still called Edo. His dad ran a silk shop, but Kuniyoshi loved anything with pictures—scrolls, screens, comic books. He talked his way into the Utagawa school, a kind of…