Picture Book of the Warriors' Sandals - Kitao Shigemasa

A woodblock print from the 1784 series Ehon musha waraji by Kitao Shigemasa, depicting samurai in traditional armour.

This woodblock print originates from the illustrated book titled Ehon musha waraji, published in 1784. Kitao Shigemasa, a prominent figure in the Ukiyo-e school, produced this work during the mid-Edo period. The print displays two distinct scenes featuring samurai in combat and preparation, rendered with the characteristic precision of the era.

The left panel depicts a warrior in a dynamic stance, wielding a katana while another figure appears to be leaping or falling above him. The composition utilises bold lines to define the armour plates and the flowing fabric of the garments. The right panel shows two samurai positioned near a flowering plum tree, suggesting a moment of pause or tactical assessment. The artist employs a balanced colour palette, using muted reds, greens, and ochres that have aged on the paper.

Shigemasa was known for his versatility, moving between bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) and musha-e (warrior prints). His approach to the warrior subject is grounded in the aesthetic conventions of the late eighteenth century, where the focus remains on the stylised representation of costume and posture rather than realistic anatomical depiction. The woodblock technique allows for clear, defined edges, which Shigemasa uses to separate the figures from the background elements, such as the stylised water waves on the left and the floral branches on the right. This print provides a view into the historical narrative traditions of Japan, where legendary figures and military history were frequently adapted for popular consumption through printed media. The work remains a clear example of the technical proficiency achieved by Edo-period printmakers in combining text and image within a cohesive book format.