Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He was a member of the Utagawa school. The range of Kuniyoshi\'s subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals. Kuniyoshi devoted the whole series of sixteen prints to the life of the great hero Minamoto Yoshitsune (1159 - 1189) from the literary legend, Heike Monogatari. Yoshitsune has parallels with the English folk hero Robin Hood; and his is a tragic and very famous story in Japan. The print shows the fight between the two heroes, Kuniyoshi contrasting the bulk and apparent clumsiness of Benkei with Yoshitsune\'s lightness and feminine delicacy. The print exists in two states, this is the former and better edition of circa 1850. The colour and impression are very good as is the condition, there is some slight edge wear. It measures 38 x 25 cm unframed.