Minneapolis Institute of Art

Picture of Odai Matarokurō Setting His Own Castle on Fire, Calmly Entering the Fiery Pit and Dying; Enemy Troops Were Amazed at His Bravery

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Publisher: Tsujiokaya Bunsuke; Carver: Watanabe Eizō I

Date

1866, 12th lunar month

Medium

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In this fiery scene, “Odai Matarokurō” stands upright, as rigid as a statue, while dense flames engulf him from behind. His enemies fall backward as if pushed by the wind feeding the fire; others run away in fear. Although the rectangular cartouche at the upper right identifies the burning man as “Odai Matarokurō, ” he might in fact be Oda Nobunao, the husband of Oda Nobunaga’s sister. Yoshitoshi often used pseudonyms to circumvent government censorship; his depiction of certain historical figures and events could have been construed as supporting opponents of the Tokugawa ruler. Japan, Asia

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