Ehon yūbu kagami 絵本勇武鑑

FSC-GR-780.448

Commentary by Iwakiri Yuriko
Posted April 19, 2017

Original unedited text in Japanese follows

Nishikawa Sukenobu is primarily known for his many illustrated books portraying beautiful courtesans, but he also created a number of warrior picture books. These include this work, Ehon yūsha kagami 絵本勇者鑑 (Picture book: a mirror of warriors; 1737), as well as Ehon musha kōkan 絵本武者考鑑 (Picture book: a mirror of warriors’ thoughts; 1744), Ehon musha bikō 絵本武者備考 (Picture book: notes on warriors; 1749), and others. In addition, one of the three volumes of Ehon Yamato warabe 絵本大和童 (Picture book: ancient Japanese children’s songs; 1724) is an illustrated warrior book. The preface to Ehon yūbu kagami explains that this book depicts the circumstances of brave warriors whose stories have been passed down for generations because it is important to inspire gallantry in the hearts of male youths and because it is good not to forget the martial arts even in times of peace.

Most of the subjects in this work are conventional representations seen in votive plaques (ema 絵馬) and in various illustrated copybooks by Tachibana Morikuni (e.g., Ehon kojidan; FSC-GR-780.570.1-9). However, the image of Satō Shirō Tadanobu (佐藤四郎忠信) has a compositional element not found in other works. Representations of Satō Tadanobu characteristically show him hurling a go board to fend off enemies; this theme is referred to as “Goban Tadanobu” 碁盤忠信 (Go board Tadanobu). Yet, in the Ehon yūbu kagami Sukenobu portrays Tadanobu battling together with the sword-wielding Princess Anju (Anjuhime 安寿姫), a rendition not usually encountered in “Goban Tadanobu” (see pp. 38–39 on the website). In fact, the narrative element of Princess Anju assisting and fighting alongside Tadanobu appears in the jōruri play Goban Tadanobu (first performed 1676). The addition of an aspect of “feminine elegance” to a warrior battle scene could be considered a typically Sukenobu touch.

書名絵本勇武鑑

執筆者岩切友里子

西川祐信は美人風俗を描いた絵本を多く描いた絵師として知られるが、本書の他に『絵本勇者鑑』（1737刊）、『絵本武者考鑑』（1744刊）、『絵本武者備考』（1749刊）などの武者絵本を描いており、『絵本大和童』（1724）も３巻中の１巻は武者絵本である。本書の序文中には、男の子の心を勇ましくさせ、平和な世の中にも武を忘れないことはよいことであるから、昔から伝えられてきた武勇のありさまを描いたといった意味の趣旨が述べられている。

採り上げられている画題は、絵馬や、橘守国の種々の絵手本に見られるような伝統的な画題が殆どであるが、「佐藤四郎忠信」の図には他作には見られない特色がある。碁盤をふりあげて追捕の兵たちと戦う佐藤忠信を描く画題は「碁盤忠信」と称され、多くの作例があるが、本書では、一般的な「碁盤忠信」の画題では描かれることのない、長刀を手にして忠信とともに戦う安寿姫の姿が描かれている。忠信を助けて戦う安寿姫は延宝四年（1676）の古浄瑠璃「碁盤忠信」に見える。武者たちの闘争場面に女性の優美さを加えた点は、祐信ならではの特徴と見ることができよう。

Copies in other collections:
Kyoto University

National Institute of Japanese Literature, Tokyo