Asukai Masanori Teaching Tokugawa Yoshimune to Play Kemari 1875

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print titled, *Asukai Masanori Teaching Tokugawa Yoshimune to Play Kemari.* Notice how the pale orb of the moon hangs suspended in the sky above figures adorned in geometrically patterned robes. The composition is defined by clear lines and flat planes of color. The red border and stylized cloud motifs create a theatrical space, like a stage set. There's a tension in the print between the flatness typical of ukiyo-e and the attempt to suggest depth through the varying sizes of the figures. The formal structure emphasizes a blend of tradition and innovation, reflective of Yoshitoshi's place at the end of the ukiyo-e tradition as it grappled with Western influences. It acknowledges historical artistic conventions while destabilizing established meanings through composition. Ultimately, it's this interplay between flat design elements and subtle depth that embodies the work’s visual and cultural richness. Its strength lies in its capacity to reflect on its own artistic heritage while engaging with new modes of visual expression.