Original Japanese Woodblock Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi Warrior Print c1840's

Utagawa Kuniyoshi
(歌川国芳, 1797–1861)

Kamata Matabei Battling Wolves
from a Musha-e (Warrior Print) Series Depicting Heroic Deeds
(本朝廿四孝 / related warrior-virtue tradition)

A powerful and dramatic nishiki-e (錦絵, polychrome woodblock print) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, depicting the legendary strongman Kamata Matabei (鎌田又八) in a violent confrontation with a pack of wolves. Captured at the height of action, Matabei raises his massive sword in a sweeping diagonal arc as the animals leap and snap at his legs, their bodies twisted with ferocity and desperation.

This composition is a quintessential example of Kuniyoshi’s celebrated musha-e, a genre in which he transformed warrior imagery through exaggerated musculature, heightened motion, and theatrical intensity. The figure’s swollen arms, tense posture, and focused gaze convey superhuman strength, while the snarling wolves—rendered with expressive linework and bristling fur—serve as a visceral counterpoint to human resolve. The dramatic diagonal of the sword anchors the scene, creating a sense of unstoppable momentum.

At the upper right, an extended text panel provides narrative context for the episode, reflecting Kuniyoshi’s integration of image and literature. Such prints were designed for an Edo-period audience deeply engaged with tales of valor, filial devotion, and endurance drawn from popular legend rather than strict historical record. The subject aligns closely with warrior-virtue traditions, including those associated with Honchō Nijūshi Kō (本朝廿四孝, Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety) and related moral exemplars.

Printed on handmade washi paper using multiple carved blocks, the work reflects Kuniyoshi’s mature period, when his warrior designs became increasingly bold, imaginative, and influential. His ability to merge physical power with narrative drama made these compositions among the most admired and widely collected ukiyo-e of the late Edo period.

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳)
Subject: Kamata Matabei (鎌田又八)
Genre: Musha-e (武者絵, warrior print)
Series / Context: Warrior-virtue and heroic legend tradition
Date: Edo period, mid-19th century (ca. 1840s–1850s)
Format: Ōban tate-e (大判竪絵, vertical oban)

Dimensions:
Frame: 24"W × 61"H
Art (visible): 13.5"W × 50"H

Condition:
Antique condition. Noticeable age wear including creasing, paper thinning, pigment softening, and extensive worm damage (wormage) visible throughout the sheet, with small losses and channels affecting both image and text areas. Despite condition issues, the composition remains visually powerful and legible. Framed for stability and display.