On view: Sept. 12 - Oct. 25, 2024

This September, classic heroes gain fresh resonance in Kuniyoshi Utagawa’s 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden (c.1827-30). Pulling the viewer into a whirlwind of muscular limbs, lavish textiles, and lethal weapons, Kuniyoshi reimagined 12th-century Chinese bandits as fierce paragons of self-made justice for a 19th-century Japanese audience. Adapted from the classic Chinese novel of the same name, Tales of the Water Margin (Suikoden) stresses honor and loyalty as a band of outlaw heroes bring down crooked officials through their own code of justice. Stifled by the social stratification and political censorship of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Edo’s merchant class embraced these stories. As Kuniyoshi channeled this zeitgeist, he elevated the warrior print genre and established himself as the master of all subjects fierce and fantastic. The exhibition Honor Among Outlaws: Selected Works from Kuniyoshi’s 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, will be on view from September 12th - October 25th.

Attributed to the 14th-century author Shi Nai’an, Tales of the Water Margin (Shuihu Zhuan) evolved from 12th-century pseudo-history, disparate texts, and the improvisations of professional storytellers. The novel follows the exploits of the outlaw Song Jiang and his group of bandits. Though the story arrived in Japan through academic circles in the 1700s, it did not reach a broad audience until the turn of the 19th century. Adapted by Bakin Takizawa and illustrated by Hokusai Katsushika, the serial novel Shinpen Suikogaden (1805-1838) brought Tales of the Water Margin into the height of vogue. Over the next several decades the story enthralled Edo’s artists and audiences, inspiring everything from prints and plays, to kites and tattoos.

Starting in 1827, Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) revolutionized the warrior print genre (musha-e) with the release of 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden. While the serial novel may have sparked Suikoden fever, Kuniyoshi took the story to new heights through his bold color, dynamic figures, and intricate detail. An initial commission of five designs soon expanded to 73 and numerous reprintings. Ronin Gallery is pleased to present 32 of these very rare, early works. Kuniyoshi’s warriors nearly burst beyond the margins, their expressions fierce as they defy both fear and physical limitations. The series’ success launched Kuniyoshi’s career, establishing him as a leading ukiyo-e artist of his time and one of the most important artists of the 19th century.

Contact David Libertson for press images.