Endō Kiemon Masatada with Assailant 1878

This woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi depicts Endō Kiemon Masatada in fierce combat with an assailant. The image's drama and violence speak to a specific moment in Japanese history when the role of the samurai was being challenged. Created in the late 19th century, Yoshitoshi's print revives a heroic narrative from the Sengoku period, a time of intense internal conflict in Japan. The print reflects the anxieties of the Meiji era, when Japan was rapidly modernizing, and the traditional samurai class was being dismantled. Yoshitoshi's work serves as a potent reminder of the values of loyalty and bravery. But we should also note that Yoshitoshi worked in a vibrant commercial print market, creating images for a broad public interested in history and legend. To understand this print, we can consult historical accounts of the Sengoku period and explore the changing role of the samurai in Meiji Japan. In doing so, we can better understand the complex social and political forces that shaped its creation and reception.