Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, "A Competition Among Powerful Magicians"

A fascinating cast of legendary figures appears in this dramatic triptych by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, featuring magicians and supernatural characters drawn from popular Japanese folklore. Among the most striking are the sorceress Kusunoki Gomahime at left, poised atop a soaring crane; Madaramaru at center, summoning spectral cats to serve his will; and the sinister Orochimaru at right, conjuring enormous serpents. Rich in fantasy and theatrical energy, this is an exceptional design by one of the last great masters of ukiyo-e.

Date: 1869
Size: Oban Triptych
Publisher: Masadaya
Condition: Light trimming, otherwise excellent color and condition

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) was a master painter and woodblock print artist whose works have made an indelible mark on Japanese art and design to this day. His most famous series, "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon," comprise some of Yoshitoshi's best known designs.