二十四孝童子鑑　 楊香|Yang Xiang (Yō Kō), from the series A Child’s Mirror of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety (Nijūshi kō dōji kagami)

Art Historical Context

This vibrant woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi captures a dramatic moment from the legend of Yang Xiang (Yō Kō), one of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety. Created around 1843 during Japan’s Edo period, the image belongs to Kuniyoshi’s series *A Child’s Mirror of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety*. It illustrates the Confucian ideal of filial devotion through the story of a young boy who courageously confronts a tiger to protect his father, a tale meant to inspire moral values in children. Kuniyoshi, a leading ukiyo-e master, excelled at dynamic compositions and expressive figures. Here he uses bold lines, vivid colors, and lively details—such as the boy’s determined stance amid trees and the powerful tiger—to bring the ancient Chinese legend to life for Japanese audiences. Woodblock prints like this one were affordable and widely circulated, allowing moral stories to reach everyday households. The print’s modest size (roughly 9 by 14 inches) made it easy to display or share, reflecting the Edo period’s flourishing print culture. Today it offers visitors a window into how art once served both entertainment and ethical education.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...