Yoshitsune studying the Tiger scrolls, by Totoya Hokkei

An image of Yoshitsune studying the Tiger scrolls. Hokkei, Totoya (Japanese, 1780-1850). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment, lacquer and blind embossing. 1830. Poetry by Ganjotei Shirataka, 1830. Ukiyo-e. Notes: Yoshitsune is studying a three-scroll set of secret military tactics named Tiger scrolls after an episode in ancient Chinese history. The Gikei-ki, or Life of Yoshitsune, compiled in the 15th century, describes how he acquired these scrolls from Kiichi-hogen, a celebrated Kyoto master of military and literary arts and divination. The episode appeared in a variety of popular stories and plays in the Edo period. The design of bamboo leaves and bellflowers on Yoshitsune’s upper robe is the symbol of his clan, the Genji (or Minamoto). The two Chinese characters on the scrolls indicate the year of the tiger, in this case 1830.

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Yoshitsune studying the Tiger scrolls. Hokkei, Totoya (Japanese, 1780-1850). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment, lacquer and blind embossing. 1830. Poetry by Ganjotei Shirataka, 1830. Ukiyo-e. Notes: Yoshitsune is studying a three-scroll set of secret military tactics named Tiger scrolls after an episode in ancient Chinese history. The Gikei-ki, or Life of Yoshitsune, compiled in the 15th century, describes how he acquired these scrolls from Kiichi-hogen, a celebrated Kyoto master of military and literary arts and divination. The episode appeared in a variety of popular stories and plays in the Edo period. The design of bamboo leaves and bellflowers on Yoshitsune’s upper robe is the symbol of his clan, the Genji (or Minamoto). The two Chinese characters on the scrolls indicate the year of the tiger, in this case 1830.

Image data

Accession Number: P.357-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/19.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H3DII-31
Photographer name: Michael Jones
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 892 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 924.79kB
Exposure time: 1/125
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 19/1
Captured: 2018:10:24 16:16:04

Key words

19th Century blind embossing colour printing embossed embossing Fitz_PDP Gikei-ki gofun Japanese karazuri lacquer lacquered lacquering Life of Yoshitsune male metallic pigment military pigment poetry poets print reading robes scrolls seated sitting soldiers surimono tiger scroll Totoya Hokkei ukiyo-e verses warriors woodblock woodcut Yoshitsune

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            "Yoshitsune studying the Tiger scrolls, by Totoya Hokkei"
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