Zhang Fei on the Long Sloped Bridge Turning Away One Million Wei Troops with a Powerful Stare 1884

This woodblock print triptych was made in Japan by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, an artist working in the late nineteenth century. It depicts a scene from the Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Our hero Zhang Fei stands astride his horse on a bridge, defying a vast enemy army with his ferocious glare. Yoshitoshi’s print draws on a rich history of woodblock printing in Japan. The medium had a long and close association with popular literature and drama. These informed the artist’s choice of subject, and the melodramatic intensity of his composition. We can also see the influence of the print market, which at this time was saturated with images of warriors. Yoshitoshi responded by creating images of legendary figures, emphasizing their superhuman power. The interpretation of art is always shaped by the moment in which it is viewed. So to understand this work better, we would need to consider the complex political dynamics of Meiji-era Japan, and the influence of foreign art.