Original Kobayashi Kiyochika Woodblock Print "Weeping Russian Wives" Russo-Japanese War 1904 LS#098

Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親, 1847–1915) — Weeping Russian Wives, from Nihon Banzai Hyakusen Hyakushō (日本萬歳百撰百笑)

Antique Japanese Meiji Era, 1904

This series dates from the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–5, depicting scenes typical of Japanese propaganda for the period. Many similar prints were produced over the course of the war by other artists, but this series stands out as its creator, Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847–1915), was not only an extremely accomplished and versatile artist, but also an unlikely propagandist. 

The caption reads: "General Kuropatkin and His Staff Joyfully Leaving St. Petersburg for the Front" — the word "joyfully" carrying the full satirical weight of the composition. General Aleksei Kuropatkin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Far Eastern Army, strides forward in white uniform and red-trimmed cap, entirely unmoved, while a weeping woman in lavender clutches his leg in desperate appeal and a second figure collapses in grief at right. His impassive staff and a waiting horse complete the background. The print skewers Russian military confidence through domestic pathos — a departure scene rendered as tragicomedy. Satirical text accompanies the image by Nishimori Takeki (1861–1913), writing under the pseudonym Koppi Dōjin (骨皮道人 — "Master Skin and Bones"), whose name appears in the rightmost column of the text block.

• Title: Weeping Russian Wives (General Kuropatkin and His Staff Joyfully Leaving St. Petersburg for the Front)
• Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親, 1847–1915)
• Caption writer: Koppi Dōjin (骨皮道人), pseudonym of Nishimori Takeki (1861–1913)
• Series: Nihon Banzai Hyakusen Hyakushō (日本萬歳百撰百笑 — Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs), Russo-Japanese War series
• Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi, 1904
• Format: Ōban tate-e; color woodblock print on washi. Mat = 13" x 17.75"

Condition: Very good. See photos for condition details.