Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, "Gentoku Visits Komei in a Snowstorm"

The Three Kingdoms period (220-280 CE) in China was chronicled in a novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in the 14th century, and was a popular story during Edo-period Japan. This incredible triptych by Yoshitoshi shows Gentoku (Liu Bei) on horseback during one of his three visits to the scholar Komei (Zhuge Liang), who agreed to become Liu Bei's key military adviser. Their famous partnership would eventually culminate in the defeat of Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 CE and consolidation of their kingdom to the South. At the center are the generals Guan You and Zhang Fei. A rare and marvelously detailed woodblock print showcasing Yoshitoshi's enormous talent in bringing stories to life in his compositions. 

Series: Illustrated Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Date: 1883
Size: Oban Triptych
Publisher: Komiyama Shohei
Condition: Wear on edges, foxing on border to middle sheet, otherwise excellent color and condition (untrimmed and not backed)

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.