Description:
ōban format triptych; sensō-e; urushi-e
Label Text:
This print is signed at lower-right of the right panel "drawn by Yoshimitsu at special request" ('motome [ni] ōjite Yoshimitsu ga') and bears the artist's seal, which reads "Seiko." The publisher's seal at lower-left of the left panel gives the date of publication as May 4, 1904, only a few weeks after the death of the Russian Vice-Admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov (1849–1904), which took place during a battle in Port Arthur (modern-day Lushunkou, China) on April 13, 1904. This very moment is imagined by Toshimitsu in this dramatic composition, as Makarov, in black uniform, stands aboard his sinking ship, with the attacking Japanese warships looming in the background. Toshimitsu designed certain elements, such as Makarov's boots, sword, and belt, to have a shiny glaze, enhancing the material realism of the image. Works that employ this technique are also known as "urushi-e," or "lacquer pictures."
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2001.631.1-.3 |
