Hasegawa Sadanobu Woodblock Triptych Satsuma Rebellion Kumamoto Bridge Battle 1877 LS#215

Hasegawa Sadanobu II — Triptych Woodblock Print / Nishiki-e "Picture of the Bridge Battle at Kumamoto" (熊本ノ橋戦争之図)

Japan, Meiji 10 (1877)

A vivid and historically important nishiki-e triptych by Hasegawa Sadanobu II, published in Osaka in 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion. The composition depicts the fierce nighttime battle for control of a bridge at Kumamoto — one of the pivotal engagements of the rebellion — rendered with dramatic urgency across all three panels. The scene is set beneath a dark sky filled with exploding shells and gunsmoke, with Kumamoto Castle (熊本城) visible in the left panel background. Combat erupts on the bridge deck, beneath its iron-truss spans, and in boats on the water below, capturing the chaos of simultaneous multi-level fighting. Named rebel commanders identified in red cartouches include Kirino Toshiaki (桐野利秋) on black horse and Shinohara Kunimoto (篠原國幹); imperial rising sun flags fly throughout. The left panel carries a large narrative text cartouche describing the engagement. Published by Koshi Shinpachi, Osaka.

Dimensions: each panel approximately 14" × 9.5" (36 × 24 cm); full triptych approximately 14" × 28.5" (36 × 72 cm)

The Osaka print tradition represented by Sadanobu II differed meaningfully from the Edo/Tokyo school — bolder color contrasts, a more graphic compositional sensibility, and a distinct approach to crowd and battle scenes that suits the kinetic violence of this subject particularly well. The iron-truss bridge depicted is notably modern — a detail that underscores the Meiji-period collision between old samurai culture and the new industrial Japan they were fighting against. Satsuma Rebellion triptychs with named commanders, intact colophons, and vivid color are increasingly sought by collectors of Meiji-period prints and Japanese military history.

Condition: Very good; colors bright and vivid with minimal fading. No foxing, tears, or significant creases noted. Unframed, three panels loose.