Yoshitoshi | Battle on the roof of the Horyukaku Pavilion | Rijks Museum
Yoshitoshi | Battle on the roof of the Horyukaku Pavilion | Rijks Museum
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About the artwork:
This tour-de-force composition depicts the legendary duel between the thief Nippon Daemon and the samurai Kobayashi Asahina atop Edo's most extravagant pleasure palace. What makes this print extraordinary is Yoshitoshi's manipulation of perspective—the rooftop tiles angle vertiginously downward, making viewers feel they're about to plunge into the abyss. Little-known fact: The Horyukaku ("Phoenix Tower") was famous for its optical illusion architecture, and Yoshitoshi recreates this disorientation masterfully. The blood-red sky isn't artistic license—historical accounts note the duel occurred at sunset, with the combatants' shadows stretching dramatically across the roof.
Yoshitoshi's Battle With Censorship
Created during the early 1880s when the Meiji government was suppressing depictions of violence, this print represents Yoshitoshi's defiant last stand. He cleverly circumvented censors by setting the scene in the Edo period and labeling it "historical." During this time, Yoshitoshi was drinking heavily and experiencing violent mood swings—some scholars suggest the print's frenetic energy mirrors his mental state. Ironically, while the government promoted Western-style art, this traditional woodblock became one of Yoshitoshi's most commercially successful works, appealing to nostalgia for the samurai era. The original blocks were carved so deeply they could produce unusually crisp impressions even after hundreds of prints.
About the series:
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon" (Tsuki Hyakushi, 1885–1892) is Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's celebrated woodblock series blending Japanese folklore, history, and poetry through 100 mesmerizing lunar scenes. The collection explores humanity's relationship with nature—from ghostly tales and warrior epics to intimate moments—unified by Yoshitoshi's masterful storytelling and innovative techniques like bokashi ink gradation. As his final masterpiece, the series reflects profound themes of transience and beauty, cementing Yoshitoshi's legacy as the last great ukiyo-e master while influencing modern Japanese art and visual culture.
| S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width, in | 18.00 | 20.00 | 22.00 | 24.00 | 26.00 | 28.00 |
| Length, in | 26.50 | 28.50 | 30.20 | 31.50 | 32.50 | 33.50 |
| Sleeve length, in | 16.00 | 17.75 | 19.50 | 20.75 | 21.75 | 23.50 |
| Size tolerance, in | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
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