Odera Sagami

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: Odera Sagami with severed head impaled on his sword, 1868, from the series, 'Selection of 100 Warriors' (1868 - 1869)

Japanese Gallery, London, UK

Odera Sagami is depicted as an old cruel soldier who seems to just get out of a battle, it’s unclear who Odera Sagami exactly is, but most of the names from this series are adapted from old Japanese heroes or story characters.  The print shows the upper body of the figure, staring straight ahead, with white headband on his forehead.  The gloomy background sets off the character, with the shape of bamboo printed in black.  The plaket on the cloth is patterned in yellow and red, the sleeve is patterned in purple and black.  There is a male head “impaled” on the character’s sword, penetrating through its mouth.  The blood flows along the sword all the way towards the handle.  The two heads of the live and the dead are positioned so close that it’s still frustrating to appreciate this print even though it is said to be a “warrior” print.  To be more specific, the male figure is facing forward while the head of the dead is directioning downward, and their sights emerge towards a point. There's also certain space left between the heads which makes them interactive in a way.

Meiji restoration in 1868 brought about the demise of Tokugawa Shogunate, showing the end of Edo.  This restoration is mainly about retaking the regime back from the Tokugawa Shogunate, war and rebellions were inevitable occuring at the period.  Witnessing the cruelty of the war in person, Yoshitoshi created the series ‘Selection of 100 Warriors' through detailed captions of the atrocities on the battlefields.  However, not all prints in the series were enlightened by the battles during the Meiji Restoration, stories and wars from a longer time frame in Japanese history were also included.  The prints from the series 'Selection of 100 Warriors' seem to praise the courage and valiantness of the warriors, but what’s hidden behind is Yoshitoshi’s deep accusation and fear towards war.  One reason why this series became too popular at the time is because it rendered those who did not directly participate in the battles an opportunity to feel what actual war looked like.