Musha-e

The earliest examples of musha-e were created in the late 18th century as illustrations for classical stories of Japanese literature. During that period, artists like Masanobu Okumura were prominent. As the ukiyo-e technique thrived during the 19th century, musha-e became more popular. Kuniyoshi, a famous printmaker, specialized in warrior images and produced a series of prints known as the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. During the late Edo period, censorship laws passed by the Tokugawa Shogunate made the creation of musha-e more difficult. Artists and publishers therefore often changed the names of characters or events depicted. Artists from the Utagawa School such as Kunisada or Hiroshige produced many musha-e prints. As the Tokugawa Shogun was overruled by the Meiji Emperor, the rapid Westernisation of Japan brought many changes in society.