Nikushi the Frog Spirit Print

An 11 x 14" print of Nikushi the Frog Spirit Conjures up a Magical Battle of Frogs at Tateyama in Etchū Province (1864) by Utagawa Yoshitora.

Utagawa Yoshitora was a Japanese designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, neither his birth nor death dates are known but we do know he was active as a prolific illustrator and designer from c.1850 to c.1880.

This Ashmolean print features a traditional Japanese woodblock print with tonal gradation (also known as Bokashi) that shows a scene from a 10th-century legend about a frog spirit who becomes involved in a warrior feud. Here, the titular Nikushi the immortal frog transfers supernatural powers to the warriors Taira no Yoshikado and Iga no Jūtarō, so that they can avenge the murder of Yoshikado’s father. Stones are transformed into battling frogs while night demons and the earth spider look on. The complex woodblock pattern depicts the mystical intervention of the frog spirit and the warrior's pursuit of justice.

Supplied unframed, this print comes with a backing board and is sealed in a clear cellophane pocket. Fits perfectly into one of our mini print frames.

Credit: Yoshitora, Utagawa. Nikushi the Frog Spirit Conjures up a Magical Battle of Frogs at Tateyama in Etchū Province (1864) © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.

Exclusive to the Ashmolean Museum.