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)