Sino-Japanese War: Two Generals at the Battle of Fenghuangcheng - Yosai Nobukazu

A dynamic Meiji-era woodblock print by Yosai Nobukazu depicting a mounted confrontation during the First Sino-Japanese War.

This woodblock print by Yosai Nobukazu depicts a dramatic confrontation during the First Sino-Japanese War. The composition captures the Battle of Fenghuangcheng, a conflict that took place in 1894. Nobukazu, a student of the famous printmaker Yoshitoshi, produced this work as part of the genre known as senso-e, or war prints. These images were produced rapidly to satisfy public demand for news and visual representations of the military campaigns occurring on the continent.

The scene features two mounted figures engaged in combat. On the left, a Qing dynasty officer wields a polearm while mounted on a grey horse. Opposite him, a Japanese officer in a modern military uniform brandishes a sword while riding a brown horse. The artist employs a triptych format, which allows for a wide, cinematic view of the battlefield. The background is relatively sparse, focusing the viewer's attention on the physical struggle between the two combatants. To the right, a Japanese soldier crouches in the tall grass, rifle at the ready, adding a sense of tactical depth to the composition.

Nobukazu uses a clear, graphic style typical of late nineteenth-century Japanese printmaking. The lines are precise, defining the uniforms and the musculature of the horses with clarity. The colour palette remains restrained, relying on muted earth tones and soft washes to provide atmosphere without overwhelming the narrative focus. This print serves as a historical document of the visual culture of the Meiji period, reflecting how the Japanese public consumed information about the war through mass-produced woodblock imagery. The work is a characteristic example of the transition from traditional ukiyo-e subjects to modern historical and military themes.