Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a spectacular Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock triptych by the legendary master of the macabre, Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It depicts the infamous 12th-century tyrant Taira no Kiyomori staring down a terrifying garden of skulls and skeletons that have materialized from the winter snow.
Story
In 1180, the ruthless warlord Taira no Kiyomori moved the capital to Fukuhara, where his guilt manifested as terrifying visions. Kuniyoshi captured this legendary haunting by turning ordinary garden snow into a towering mountain of skulls.
Maker / Origin
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style. Renowned for his dynamic warrior prints and fantastical ghost stories, his wild imagination and dramatic compositions directly paved the way for modern manga and anime illustration.
Condition & Value
The triptych has been joined together as a single continuous sheet and backed with support paper, which was a common historical preservation practice. There are visible vertical fold lines, minor surface soil, and slight trimming at the margins.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.