
Antique Japanese Woodblock Print Triptych by Kokunimasa Japanese Troops Pursuing Chinese Troops c. Presented is an attractive and captivating Japanese full oban-size original woodblock triptych print created by the renowned artist of the Meiji (and later) periods, Utagawa Kokunimasa (1874 – 1944). The print is titled “Victory of Japanese Troops Pursuing Chinese Troops at Asan in Korea” (Chôsen Gazan ni Nihon hei Shina hei o tsuigekisen shôri no zu). The title is self-explanatory. The outbreak of the first Sino-Japanese War in 1894 triggered an explosion of demand for war prints. Artists, including Kokunimasa, rushed to meet the public appetite for visual news from the battlefield. These works were often produced under tight deadlines and circulated widely. Kokunimasa’s prints from this period are among his most dynamic and remain popular with collectors interested in Meiji-period war imagery. Active across the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, he produced prints depicting key historical events, such as the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars, as well as natural disasters like the 1896 tsunami. His works illustrate both the resilience of traditional ukiyo-e and the public demand for timely, topical imagery during a rapidly changing era in Japan. The print was made using the Japanese woodblock technique in 1894 during Kokunimasa’s lifetime. The first (left) sheet of the triptych is signed by Kokunimasa and stamped with the publisher’s seal. AUTHOR: Utagawa Kokunimasa (Ryua) TITLE:”Victory of Japanese Troops Pursuing Chinese Troops at Asan in Korea”. PUBLISHER: Murakami Toyojiro PAPER. Paper METHOD OF PRINTING: Woodblock printing PRINTED: Lifetime printing circa early 1894 PRINT SIZE: Three sheets 14.5″ X 9.25″ (28″ X 14.5″ altogether). The condition is good. Good detail and colors, some toning and soiling of the paper. Right and lower margins are trimmed. Some minor losses at the edges. The prints are connected with washi paper. Auctiva offers Free Image Hosting and Editing. Track Page Views With.
