The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa Possibly 1895

Editor: This print, "The Heroic Fight of Cavalry Scout Captain Asakawa" by Kobayashi Kiyochika, is intense! The driving rain and the obscured figures create such a dramatic atmosphere. What strikes you when you look at this work? Curator: It's as if we're right there in the thick of it, isn't it? The artist's use of light is fascinating; it feels like hope struggling against the downpour. I wonder if Kiyochika wanted us to consider the human cost of conflict, the courage, but also the sheer brutality. Editor: That makes me think about how fleeting moments of heroism can be. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Absolutely! There is always a cost to heroism, and an after-effect to every action.