Katsukawa Shunkō (勝川春好) (artist 1743 – 1812)
Tomoe Gozen (巴御前), 12th century warrior mistress of Kiso Yoshinaka, fighting against Onda no Hachirō Moroshige (御田八郎師重)
1810
25.8 cm x 33.9 cm (Overall dimensions) color woodblock print
Signed: Shunkō ga (春好画)
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi
(Marks 573 - seal closest to 07-008)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Lyon Collection - Shunzan print of the same encounter
Jordan Schnitzler Museum of Art - 17th century painting of this struggle
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - a similar print by Shunkō II In the Heike Monogatari as translated by Helen Craig McCullough it says
"Quickly, now," Lord Kiso said to Tomoe. "You are a woman, so be off with you; go wherever you please. I intend to die in battle, or to kill myself if I am wounded. It would be unseemly to let people say, “Lord Kiso kept a woman with him during his last battle."
Reluctant to flee, Tomoe rode with the others until she could resist no longer. Then she pulled up. "Ah! If only I could find a worthy foe! I would fight a last battle for His Lordship to watch," she thought.
As she sat there, thirty riders came into view, led by Onda no Hachiro Moroshige, a man renowned in Musashi Province for his great strength. Tomoe galloped into their midst, rode up alongside Moroshige, seized him in a powerful grip, pulled him down against the pommel of her saddle, held him motionless, twisted off his head, and threw it away. Afterwards, she discarded armor and helmet and fled toward the eastern provinces."
warrior prints (musha-e - 武者絵) (genre)
Wakasaya Yoichi (若狹屋与市) (publisher)