The Fourth Battle at Kawanakajima - Utagawa Yoshitsuna

A detailed woodblock triptych by Utagawa Yoshitsuna depicting the legendary duel between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.

This woodblock print depicts the Fourth Battle at Kawanakajima, a conflict between the forces of Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku period. Utagawa Yoshitsuna, a student of the famous Utagawa Kuniyoshi, captures the intensity of this historical confrontation through a triptych format. The composition focuses on the legendary single combat between the two daimyo, who are shown mounted and engaged in a direct clash.

The print employs the conventions of musha-e, or warrior prints, which were popular in the mid-nineteenth century. The figures wear detailed armour, and their expressions convey the urgency of the battlefield. The background features a stylised river, rendered with repetitive, rhythmic lines that suggest flowing water. This pattern provides a contrast to the chaotic movement of the soldiers and horses in the foreground.

Textual cartouches are placed throughout the scene, identifying the various samurai and their respective clans. These elements provide historical context for the viewer, linking the visual drama to specific figures from Japanese history. The use of colour is balanced, with muted tones for the water and earth, allowing the red and orange accents of the armour to draw the eye. The print demonstrates the technical skill required to align three separate woodblocks to form a cohesive narrative scene. It reflects the interest in historical epics that defined much of the output from the Utagawa school during this period. The work functions as both a record of a famous event and a display of the artistic conventions of the late Edo period.