Study of a warrior wielding his sword

tsukioka yoshitoshi

1839–1892

Study of a warrior wielding his sword, 1860s

Sketch, ink and color on paper

This sheet of paper gives us a peek at Yoshitoshi’s design process. It contains several unrelated elements. At center, a warrior grasps his sword, while above a wind blows out a candle and ruffles a curtain. Below are two bound packages, also unconnected to the other elements.

The warrior might be an early idea for the nearby triptych of Taira Koremochi Ason. Neither the red nor the black ink can be erased, so Yoshitoshi attached a small piece of paper at the warrior’s head to provide a clean surface for a new drawing.