- Title
- Mōri Motonari Attacking Sue Harutaka at Itsukushima
- Date Made
- 1880, February
- Medium
- Color woodblock print
- Dimensions
- Image: 13 3/8 × 9 1/16 in. (33.97 × 23.02 cm)
Sheet: 14 1/8 × 9 3/4 in. (35.88 × 24.77 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.84.31.247
- Collecting Area
- Japanese Art
- Curatorial Notes
This print depicts Mori Motonari (1497-1571) in the foreground watching his troops surround the army of his enemy Sue Harutaka (1521-1555). Rain pours down on Sue's army, who are unaware of the trap into which they have blundered. From the beginning of their military engagement, Mori was greatly outnumbered by Sue's forces, and Mori needed a strategic plan to overcome Sue's army. Mori's victory came in the form of a trap on Miyajima Island near Itsukushima Shrine (pictured in the background). Mori's meager forces at Miyajima enticed Sue to overrun and occupy the difficult to defend position. Mori's men soon attacked from behind, using the cover of a storm to confuse and finally obliterate Sue's army. After two years, Mori consolidated his power and became the undisputed master of western Japan.
