Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition
教導立志基 (Kyōdō risshi no motoi), 1885-1890
The Original Table of Contents Sheet (mokuroku)
教導立志基 (Kyōdō risshi no motoi)
About The Series "Kyōdō risshi no motoi"
(Note: This series is variously translated as "Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition," "Foundations of Learning and Achievement," "Foundation of Instruction and Perseverance," "Self-Made Men Worthy of Emulation," "Paragons of Instruction and Success," "Moral of Success," "Examples of Self-Made Leaders," "Instruction in the Fundamentals of Success" and "Heroes and heroines who have been regarded as standards of moral leadership and success." The title in Japanese is sometimes seen as "Kyōdō risshiki or "Kyōdō risshi no moto.")
This series ran between October 1885 and November 1890 and featured a long list of heroes and heroines, from antiquity to contemporary times, who were regarded as standards of moral leadership and self-realization.
Sources: Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan, Henry D. Smith II, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1988, p. 74-75; original research and as footnoted.
This series of 58 prints,1 plus a table of contents sheet (目録), were originally published between October 1885 and November 1890 by the Tokyo publisher Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉.2 The table of contents sheet issued by the publisher states that "fifty prints make up the complete set (五十番揃)." Three prints not in the initial release were added over the five year publication period, as were five redesigns of original prints, eventually increasing the total print count to 58. The seven artists contributing prints were Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) [20 prints], Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908) [16 prints], Inoue Tankei (Yasuji) (1864-1889) [13 prints], Taiso (Tsukioka) Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) [5 prints], Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912) [2 prints], Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) [1 print], and Hachisuka (Utagawa) Kuniaki II (1835-1888) [1 print]. All the artists, with the exception of Yōshū Chikanobu, are listed in the top scroll of the table of contents sheet. Various colors (blue, blue/green, tan and brown) were used for the decorative brocade border, and in 1902 the series was re-issued by Matsuki without borders.
Brief texts contained within a scroll-like cartouche appearing on each print provide historical details. The scroll composer's name is given at the end of the scroll text. The “lofty ambition” of the title is a Confucian concept, originally from Mencius, meaning “righteous determination that would inspire others.” The market for the series probably included former samurai, ambitious youth, and conservative intellectuals.
"[W]hen it was completed in 1890 the publisher was singled out for special recognition by the government for having sponsored such noble subject matter."3
The publisher's name Matsuki Keikichi (松木平吉) followed by the kanji character 版 (publisher) appears as the seventh name on the top scroll of the table of contents sheet and in the bottom cartouche of each print in the series.
1 The Tokyo Metropolitan Library [accessed 6-17-24] online collection shows 50 prints and the table of contents sheet listing the titles of 50 prints. Smith in Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan identified 52 prints. I have identified 58 prints from this series including five prints (Ikina, Michizane Sugiwara, Kesa Gozen, Soga Brothers and Hokiichi Hanawa) that were re-designed and re-printed, likely due to damaged or lost blocks.
2 Robert Schaap notes in Appendix II, p. 166 of Yoshitoshi, Masterpieces from the Ed Freis Collection, Chris Uhlenbeck and Amy Reigle Newland, Hotei Publishing, 2011 that the series originally appeared as newspaper supplements.
3 The World of the Meiji Print: Impressions of a New Civilization, Julia Meech-Pekarik, Weatherhill, 1986, p. 122.
Prints in Series
General notes:
1. Print titles are taken from the Table of Contents sheet for those prints listed in it and from the scroll for prints not listed in the original table of contents. Most print titles appearing in the Table of Contents are taken from the first column on the scroll.
2. Numbers were used a bit haphazardly on the prints, with many prints bearing no numbers and some prints displaying numbers in some impressions and not in others. In addition, the same prints can be found bearing different numbers. When print numbers are shown on the print they sometimes do not agree with the placement of their title in the Table of Contents, as is the case with twelve prints, and some print titles that are listed in the Table of Contents do not show a print number on the print, as is the case with seven prints.
3. Most of the prints were issued with different colors of brocade borders. It is not known if one particular color was used for the first issue of the prints.
4. Popular prints in the series were reprinted many times often using different color schemes as can be seen in the three versions of the print titled "Koshikibu no Naishi," below.
Three printings of "Koshikibu no Naishi," by Kiyochika Kobayashi (1847-1915)
Twenty Prints Contributed by Kiyochika Kobayashi (1847-1915)
豊臣秀康
Toyotumi Hideyasu
Print 34 (三十四)
1886
(明治十九年)
[note: the Table of Contents shows and incorrect title of
越前少将 Echizen Shōshō]
細川幽斎
Hosokawa Yūsai
Print 35 (三十五)
1886
(明治十九年)
Sixteen Prints Contributed by Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908)
楠正行
Kusunoki Masatsura
Print 26 (廿六)
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
丹後局
Tango no Tsubone
Print not numbered
September 1890
(明治廿三年 九月)
Thirteen Prints Contributed by Inoue Tankei (1864-1889)
佛御前
Hotoke Gozen
Print 11 (十一)
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
静御前
Shizuka Gozen
Print 15 (十五)
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
村上義光
Murakami Yoshiteru
Print 21 (廿一)*
December 25, 1885
(明治十八年 十二月 廿五日)
*shares the same print number with the below print Soga Brothers
曾我兄弟
Soga Brothers
Print 21 (廿一)
October 26, 1885
(明治十八年 十月 廿六日)
*shares the same print number with the above print Murakami Yoshimitsu
曾我兄弟
Soga Brothers
Print 21 (廿一)
April 1889
(明治廿二年 四月)
Note: new blocks were made for this April 1889 print which carries the same information in the scroll as the October 1885 print
Five Prints Contributed by Taiso [Tsukioka] Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
富田信高
Tomita Nobutaka
Print 31 (三十一)
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
Two Prints Contributed by Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912)
One Print Contributed by Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900)
One Print Contributed by Utagawa Kuniaki II (1835-1888)
Table of Contents, List of Fifty Prints
Notes:
1. The Tokyo Metropolitan Library displays all fifty prints shown in the table of contents sheet, along with the table of contents sheet. While the table of contents sheet is not dated, it lists three prints whose bottom margin cartouche displays a date of November 1890, indicating the table of contents sheet was created after November 1890. While it is understandable why the five re-issued (replacement) prints (see table below), which duplicated previously issued titles, were left off the table of contents, it is not clear why three original designs all dated 1886 (one by Inoue Tankei and two by Chikanobu) were left off, or why Chikanobu's name is not included in the list of artists that appears on the top scroll of the table of contents sheet.
2. Kanji characters in () are alternate forms of the more commonly used character, as used in the table of contents.
The 1902 Re-issue
Not all the designs were re-issued in 1902 and it is unknown if that was due to loss or damage to blocks or other reasons. So far I have identified 41 re-issued designs, thumbnails of which are shown below.
Prints by Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
小式部内侍
Koshikibu no Naishi
Print 5 (五)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
源義家
Minamoto no Yoshiie
Print 7 (七)*
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
-1902 version unknown-
菅原道真公
Michizane Sugawara
Print 11 (十一)
Originally published
October 26, 1885
(明治十八年 十月 廿六日)
-1902 version unknown-
菅原道真公
Michizane Sugawara
Print 12 (十二)
Originally published
April 1889
(明治廿二 四月)
-1902 version unknown-
袈裟御前
Kesa Gozen
Print 12 (十二)
Originally published
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
菊池武光
Takemitsu Kikuchi
Print 25 (廿五)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
上杉虎千代
Uesugi Torachiyo
Print 28 (廿八)
Originally published
1888
(明治廿一)
織田信長
Oda Nobunaga
Print 32 (卅二)
Originally published December 25, 1885
(明治十八年 十二月 廿五日)
越前少将
Echizen Shōshō
(豊臣秀康
Toyotumi Hideyasu)
Print 34 (三十四)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
細川幽斎
Hosokawa Yūsai
Print 35 (三十五)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
-1902 version unknown-
物徂徠
Butsu Sorai
Print 39 (三十九)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
-1902 version unknown-
塙保己一
Hanawa Hokiichi
Print 41 (四十一)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
徳川慶喜
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Print 44 (四十四)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
-1902 version unknown-
Genichiro Fukuchi
Print 45 (四十五)
Originally published
October 26, 1885
(明治十八年 十月 廿六日)
Prints by Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908)
楠正成
Kusunoki Masashige
Print 21 (廿一)
Originally published
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
名和長年
Nawa Nagatoshi
Print 23 (廿三)
Originally published
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
児島高徳
Kojima Takanori
Print 24 (廿四)
Originally published
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
楠正行
Kusunoki Masatsura
Print 26 (廿六)
Originally published
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
山内一豊妻
Yamanouchi Kazutoyo
no tsuma
Print 29 (廿九)
Originally published
August 1888
(明治廿一年 八月)
片桐正一
Katagiri Shoichi
(秀頼 Hideyori)
Print 36 (卅六)
Originally published
October 1888
(明治廿一年 十月)
農弥作
Farmer Yasaku
Print 38 (卅八)
Originally published
June 1889
(明治廿二年 六月)
新井白石
Arai Hakuseki
Print 43 ( 四十三)
Originally published
November 1888
(明治廿一年 六月)
大石良雄
Ooishi Yoshio
Print not numbered
Originally published
July 1890
(明治廿三年 七月)
丹後局
Tango no Tsubone
Print not numbered
Originally published
September 1890
(明治廿三年 九月)
-1902 version unknown-
高山彦九郎
Takayama Hikokurō
Print not numbered
Originally published
September 1890
(明治廿三年 九月)
-1902 version unknown-
木戸翠香院
Kido Suikō-in
Print not numbered
Originally published
October 1890
(明治廿三年 十月)
佐野常世
Sano Tsuneyo
Print not numbered
Originally published
November 1890
(明治廿三年 十一月)
-1902 version unknown-
三條實美公
Sanjō Sanetomi
Print not numbered
Originally published
November 1890
(明治廿三年 十一月)
高杉晋作
Takasugi Shinsaku
Print not numbered
Originally published
November 1890
(明治廿三年 十一月)
塙保己一
Hanawa Hokiichi
Print not numbered
Originally published
November 1890
(明治廿三年 十一月)
Prints by Inoue Tankei (Yasuji) (1864-1889)
赤染衛門
Akazome Emon
Print 6 (六)
Originally published
May 21, 1886
(明治十九年 五月 廿一日)
高倉帝仕丁
Emperor Takakura’s
Palace Servants
Print 10 (十)
Originally published
1886
(明治十九年)
佛御前
Hotoke Gozen
Print 11 (十一)
Originally published
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
静御前
Shizuka Gozen
Print 15 (十五)
Originally published
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
-1902 version unknown-
青砥藤綱
Aoto Fujitsuna
Print 19 (十九)
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
村上義光
Murakami Yoshiteru
Print 21 (廿一)
Originally published
December 25, 1885
(明治十八年 十二月 廿五日)
毛利松寿丸
Mori Shōjumaru
Print 27 (廿七)
Originally published
April 1889
-1902 version unknown-
田中鶴吉
Tanaka Tsurukichi
Print 48 (四十八)
February 1889
(明治廿二年 二月)
Prints by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
藤原在衡
Fujiwara no Arihira
Print 9 (九)
Originally published
December 25, 1885
(明治十八年 十二月 廿五日)
富田信高
Tomita Nobutaka
Print 31 (三十一)
Originally published
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
-1902 version unknown-
羽柴秀吉
Hashiba Hideyoshi
Print 33 (三十三)
December 1885
(明治十八年 十二月)
Prints by Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912)
-1902 version unknown-
ちか子
Chikako
Print 42 (四十二)
April 1886
(明治十九年 四月)
Prints by Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900)
秋色
Shūshiki
Print 37 (卅七)
Originally published
December 25, 1885
(明治十八年 十二月 廿五日)
Prints by Utagawa Kuniaki II (1835-1888)
友千鳥
Tomochidori
Print 40 (四十)
Originally published
1886
(明治廿九年)
last revision:
4/6/2025 added AltText
6/17/2024