UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797–1861)

The battle of Dan-no-ura was a major sea battle during the Genpei War (1180–1185). On the 25th April, 1185, the fleet of the Minamoto clan (Genji), led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, defeated the fleet of the Taira clan (Heike). The hero Taira no Tomomori (1152-82) on the brink of defeat, threw himself into the sea tied to a huge anchor and drowned. Here he is shown in the centre of the design about to throw himself from the rocks. To his left is his retainer Sagami Goro and on his right is his mistress Tenji no tsubone. This episode was a popular subject for numerous print artists including Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-1792) and Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), with Kuniyoshi himself designing numerous prints based on the subject.