Tomoe Gozen, Wife of Kiso Yoshinaka, Defeating Uchida Saburō

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Tomoe Gozen, Wife of Kiso Yoshinaka, Defeating Uchida Saburō

Alternate Title: Tomoe Gozen Uchida Saburō
Series: A Collection of Heroes in Combat
Japan, 1865, 11th month
Prints; woodblocks
Color woodblock print
Image: 14 1/16 × 9 5/8 in. (35.72 × 24.45 cm) Sheet: 14 3/8 × 9 5/8 in. (36.51 × 24.45 cm)
Herbert R. Cole Collection (M.84.31.209)
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

Records of Tomoe Gozen vary widely, and some scholars believe she was a completely fictional character....
Records of Tomoe Gozen vary widely, and some scholars believe she was a completely fictional character. Here, Yoshitoshi has illustrated a scene popular in kyôgen plays (comic interludes between Noh acts), in which Tomoe defends her husband, Kiso no Yoshinaka, from the warlord Uchida Saburō. Such intertextuality-as in art referring to theatre-is what kept the legend of Tomoe alive. Regardless of whether or not she actually existed, Tomoe is identified as a consummate equestrian and warrior, as deadly as she is beautiful. In addition to her bravery and fierceness in battle, Tomoe is also revered for her loyalty to her husband, enacted in this print. Some accounts of her life maintain that after his death she became a nun, faithfully keeping Kiso in her heart and mind.
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About The Era

The spirit of the Japanese warrior has its roots in Japans classical myths from as early as the 4th century....
The spirit of the Japanese warrior has its roots in Japans classical myths from as early as the 4th century. These tales featured characters of profound physical strength with a quick mind and fierce sense of dedication to the emperor or ruling clan. These prototypical warriors had impressive pedigrees, often linking them to Chinese royalty or even gods, and their ambitions and feats often exceeded the expectations of their forebears. While many of these characters can be seen as examples of extraordinary achievement and talent at an individual level, they are also celebrated for their selfless devotion to their families, clans, and masters. A number of warrior legends from this period involve an aggressive expulsion of rebels and barbarians from what was considered imperial land in an attempt to maintain the integrity of the ruling clan against external threats. During this era, Japanese notions of a tragic hero, or “loser-hero,” were created, an archetype defined as a warrior who suffers an inglorious death or defeat after a life spent winning and completing noble deeds.
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