Kawazu Saburo Sukemichi wrestling Matano Goro Kagehisa, from the series "Illustrated Tale of the Soga Brothers (Soga monogatari zue)"
c. 1843/47
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
37 × 25.3 cm (14 9/16 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34428
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In the dynamic woodblock print *Kawazu Saburoemichi wrestling Matanooro Kagehisa*, Utagawa Hiroshige captures a tense moment from the legendary *Illustrated Tale of the S Brothers (Soga monogatariue)*, a popular series from around 1843–47. This oban-sized color print (37 × 25.3 cm) depicts the fierce sumo-style wrestling match between the warriors Kawazu Saburo and Matano Goro, key figures in the Soga brothers' epic tale of vengeance for their father's murder. Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, brings the drama of kabuki theater to life, blending historical narrative with the "floating world" of Edo-period entertainment. Created during Japan's Edo era, when woodblock prints were affordable art for the masses, this piece exemplifies the medium's brilliance: intricate carving on wooden blocks allowed for vibrant, multi-layered colors and precise lines, produced in large editions. Hiroshige's style, renowned for atmospheric landscapes like *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō*, here shines in its bold composition—muscular figures locked in combat against a minimalist background, heightening the sense of raw power and impending tragedy. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print reflects the cultural obsession with the Soga story, retold in plays, books, and festivals. It invites visitors to appreciate how ukiyo-e democratized heroism, turning ancient lore into vivid, everyday inspiration.
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...