Artist: Utagawa Kokunimasa (Ryua) (1874-1944)
Title: In the Battle between Japan and Russia at Seoul, Japan Wins a Great Victory - Hurrah for the Empire!
Date: February 1904
Edition: Likely Early Ed. triptych, sheets approximately 14.5 x 9.5 each
Sig./Seal: Signed Ryûa, Artist's seal: Edokko, Publisher: Fukuda Hatsujirō
Condition: Vivid colors, paper clip marks under a black mat, partially trimmed margins, acid-free environs
Size: Matted SS: 17 x 33                                                                   P60510            $495.00
 
In the Battle between Japan and Russia at Seoul, Japan Wins a Great Victory - Hurrah for the Empire!
This print is one of many that is named the same and depicts varying scenes representing the events related to the outbreak of war with Russia on February 8, 1904, which began with a surprise attack by a Japanese torpedo boat destroyer on Russian ships at Port Arthur which resulted in heavy damages to Russia's two largest battleships, the Tsesarevich and Retvizan, and a cruiser Pallada. The title cartouche on the far right sheet celebrates: Great Victory of the Imperial Navy in the Russo-Japanese Naval Battle at Port Arthur - Hurrah! (Banzai!). The same or similar cartouche accompanies many of the same named prints, some are triptychs, some larger 4-sheet or 6-sheet images.
One of the challenges of designing woodblock prints as reportage of wartime events is conveying a sense of excitement from naval battles when engagements take place over great distances, rather than the close quarters of hand-to-hand combat on a battlefield (particularly that of sword-wielding warriors of traditional Japan). Kokunimasa was one of the few artists that were able to produce dynamic and coherent compositions of battles from both the First Sino Japanese War and for the Russo-Japanese War, which also represented a considerable investment on behalf of the publisher. Even more impressive is that the artist and publisher were able to design and produce numerous panoramask and have it approved for publication within the same month as the opening salvos at the Battle of Port Arthur on February 8th.