General Ōdera Attacking the "Hundred Foot Cliff" with All His Might (Ōdera shōgun zenroku o furuite Hyakusekigai o shūgeki suru no zu)

Artists

Description

This horizontally oriented, woodblock-printed triptych comprises three individual sheets, each approximately 15 inches in height and 10 inches in width, that together form a panoramic scene dramatizing an historical event that took place during the first Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). At the far left, four figures seen in profile stand atop a snowy cliffside rampart. Just beside them, is a large cannon aimed to the right over the ocean toward approaching Chinese warships, which enter the scene at the far right. Japanese Major General Ōdera Yasuzumi (1846–1895) stands triumphantly at the front, holding an unsheathed saber in his right hand, and a small telescope in his left. Billows of heavy smoke from cannon fire surround the standing figures, nearly concealing the presence of a slain Chinese soldier, whose lifeless leg and abandoned trident lie on the ground before the General. Behind General Odera, two Japanese soldiers stand at the ready, while a civilian with the collar of his cloak upturned to protect him from the cold and falling snow, bears witness to the unfolding scene. The civilian depicted is Kubota Beisen (1852–1906), a Kyoto artist and reporter who followed Japanese troops during the war and documented their battles in both words and illustrations. Although the Japanese army successfully captured the Chinese fortress at the “Hundred-Foot Cliff,” the highest peak near Weihaiwei harbor, Kubota reported that as General Odera and his men were about to leave, Chinese warships bombarded the fort, and Odera was critically wounded by exploding shrapnel. The General died two hours later, making him the highest ranking Japanese officer killed in this war.

Dimensions

full triptych: H. 35.7 x W. 71 cm (14 1/16 x 27 15/16 in.)

Provenance

[Israel Goldman--Japanese Prints, London, (? - c. 1995)], sold; to Drs. Neil and Elizabeth deSabato Swinton, Newton, Mass. (c. 1995 - 2007), inherited; by Dr. Elizabeth deSabato Swinton, Wellesley, Mass. (2007 - 2014), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2014.