Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) (artist 11/15/1797 – 03/05/1861)
Guo Sheng, the Second Ren Gui (Saijinki Kakusei - 賽仁貴郭盛) from the series One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Shuihuzhuan (Tsūzoku Suikoden gōketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori - 通俗水滸伝豪傑百八人之一個) - left panel of a diptych
ca 1827 – 1830
10 in x 14.75 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi ga
一勇斎国芳画
Publisher Kagaya Kichiemon
(Marks 195 - seal 22-025)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
British Museum
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Lyon Collection - right panel of this diptych
Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen (Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden) via Ritsumeikan University The Ashmolean Museum at Oxford says of this print:
Saijinki Kakusei was from Karyō of Seisen (Xichuan Jialing) and was a mercury seller traveling throughout the provinces for his trade. As with Ryohō, he learnt the art of the use of the hōtengeki. One day his boat was capsized by the wind in Kōga (Huang he), and although he escaped death, he was unable to return home. While wondering what to do, Kakusei heard about the robber Ryohō, who also used hōtengeki, and decided to meet him at the foot of Taiei-zan (Duiying shan). They then began fighting but were equally strong (see Ryohō).****
This print shows Kakusei armed with his spear on a plunging horse with a banner depicting a Pegasus-like horse. This forms the left part of the diptych while Ryohō's portrait forms the right...
This print, the left panel of a diptych, is number 18b in Klompmakers' book Of Brigands and Bravery. Full-page, color illustration on page 85.
"One day the mercury salesman Saijinki Kakusei, who had lost his money when his boats capsized, meets Ryohō [the fellow in the right-hand panel] and demands he relinquish his robber's territory." Kakusei is greedy and wants it all for himself so they begin a battle which goes on for days and days. In time the leader of a famous robbing band come to ask them to quit their struggling. The two combatants are so impressed by the fame of the leader of the brigand band that they quit fighting and join the larger group.
****
The text reads paritally: 原西川嘉陵の者 水銀を商売にして諸州を廻り黄河を渉らんとて大風の難に船を翻され一命をからく脱れ客路に流落して対☆（景＋頁）山の麓に来て呂方と方天戟の高下を競ぶる
****
Shō'onkō Ryohō appears in Chapter 34.
Kagaya Kichiemon (加賀屋吉右衛門) (publisher)
warrior prints (musha-e - 武者絵) (genre)
Suikoden (水滸傳) (genre)