Actor Kataoka Nizaemon as the popular hero Umeno Ichirōbei, revealing his tattooed shoulder. Colour woodcut by Kunisada I, 1859.

The low-class hero slips off his robe, decorated with a fearsome dragon, to reveal his body tattoo (a snow scene shot through with lightning)

Half-length figures

Edo [Tokyo] : [publisher not identified], Month 8, 1859.

1 print : woodcut, printed in colours

Toyokuni-ga Bears publisher's mark, block cutter's mark, censor's seal, actor's role and set title Title of set plays on variant readings of characters. Lit. Biographies of contemporary handsome young men

Biographies of contemporary heroes of the Water Margin

Wellcome Collection 35753i