Description
After bidding farewell to his beloved mistress, Tomoe-Gozen, on January 20th, 1184, Kiso Yoshinaka is left alone with Imai Kanehira. When he escapes to Matsubara in Awazu, his horse is caught in a paddy field and cannot move an inch. Just then, an arrow pierces his forehead and his head is taken.
Illustrated in Takeda Hideo and the Japanese Cartoon Tradition at The British Museum
About the artist
As one of Japan’s most important creative minds, Hideo Takeda's work speaks to a global audience. Over his long career, Takeda has inhabited multiple identities and worked with innumerable media. From paintings to woodblock prints, Hideo Takeda’s artistic output is defined by its persistent flexibility, adaptation, and the thrill of surprise. Combining the aesthetics of traditional Japanese prints, western cartoons, and textile patterns, Hideo Takeda’s work is boldly graphic, often surreal, and subtly beautiful.
Born in Osaka in 1948, Hideo Takeda was accepted to the prestigious Tama Art University, where he completed his degree in sculpture. It was his drawings and works on paper, however, that propelled Takeda into the spotlight, and shortly after graduation he received the prestigious Bungei-Shunju Cartoon Award in 1976. In 1993, Takeda enjoyed a one-man show at the British Museum and today his work can be found in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions worldwide.