Color woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1797 to 1861, a Japanese ukiyo-e artist and member of the Utagawa school. Edo period, 1849. Oban yoko-e format. The artwork represents a scene from the Ichinotani Mushae no Iezuto kabuki play that commemorates one of the great battles of the Genpei Wars in the late 12th century. The print depicts three samurai with the one in the center hanging upside down. Such vaulting poses are unusual for Japanese art. The samurai are played by the actors Ichikawa Danjuro VIII, Ichikawa Ebijuro IV, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV. Hieroglyphical title and signature in the lower left. Wooden frame. Kabuki is a classical form of Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with traditional dance that originated during the early Edo period. Collectible Oriental Graphic Art Prints, Kabuki Theater, Historical Militaria.