UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797–1861)

This powerful design depicts a famous sumo match between Kawazu Saburo Sukeyasu (right) and Matano Goro Kagehisa (left) which took place in 1176. Matano's defeat is watched by the Shogun Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), who is pictured under a parasol in the background at the far right along with his entourage. The referee Ebina Genpachi Hirotsuna is thrown aside by the wrestlers, waving his fan. During the match, Kawazu used a new manoeuvre, which became known as the 'Kawazu throw' (the wrapping of a foot around the opponent's leg and an arm around their neck whilst throwing to the ground), which became part of every sumo wrestler's repertoire.

Other impressions are illustrated in Robert Schaap, Heroes and Ghosts, (Amsterdam, 1998), p. 149; and Yuriko Iwakiri and Amy Reigle Newland, Kuniyoshi: Japanese Master of Imagined Worlds, (Leiden, 2013), p. 66.