Yokohama Sumo Wrestler Defeating a Foreigner – Edo Period Ukiyo-e Japanese Woodblock Art Print by Utagawa Yoshifuji
Yokohama Sumo Wrestler Defeating a Foreigner – Edo Period Ukiyo-e Japanese Woodblock Art Print by Utagawa Yoshifuji
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UKIYO-E
JAPANESE WOODBLOCK
ART PRINT
"Yokohama Sumo Wrestler Defeating a Foreigner" (横浜誉勝負付) by Utagawa Yoshifuji, c. 1860s.
This striking ukiyo-e print belongs to the Yokohama-e genre, a wave of Japanese woodblock prints produced after the opening of Japan’s ports to the West in the mid-19th century. It depicts a powerful sumo wrestler dramatically overpowering a Western foreigner, dressed in contemporary European clothing, while other foreigners look on in shock. Far from a literal sporting event, the scene is symbolic — perhaps expressing Japanese confidence, physical superiority, and cultural pride at a time of rapid social change and uneasy contact with the outside world.
The exaggerated motion, expressive faces, and theatrical imbalance of the composition reflect both the humour and tension of the era. Sumo here functions as a visual metaphor: a traditional Japanese discipline triumphing over unfamiliar Western influence. With its warm, aged background tones, bold outlines, and dense handwritten commentary, the print captures the spirit of late-Edo popular imagery — provocative, satirical, and unapologetically dramatic. Today, it offers a fascinating glimpse into how Japan visually processed modernity, foreignness, and national identity.
★ Reproduced from an archive image, respectfully and lovingly restored and enhanced digitally, to remove the non-artistic blemishes and colour fading.
★ A3 print, 297mm x 420mm.
★ Printed in England on a 350gsm Eucalyptus paper, made from eucalyptus pulp from sustainable sources. It is brilliant white and smooth and Eco printed with high pigment environmentally-friendly toners.
★ Supplied unframed, carefully rolled and packed with tissue paper in a strong cardboard tube for safe transit.
(Interior images are shown for styling and illustrative purposes only, not to be used as a precise scale guide. There will be no watermarks on the actual print.)
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