Print of Japanese Sumo Wrestlers
source: Wikimedia Commons
author: Gekko Ogata (1859–1920)
Description
A late 19th century print depicts two sumo wrestlers in a match. One has thrown the other, who is shown dramatically falling to the ground headfirst. A box in the top left shows three men sitting together, and Japanese characters sit in the top right and bottom left corners of the page.
Date
Illustration: 1899
Information
This print by Japanese artist Gekko Ogata (1859–1920) depicts two sumo wrestlers in a match. Here, one of the competitors is seen dramatically throwing each other. After a Shinto-influenced transformation of the sport in the 18th century, a movement led by sumo referee Yoshida Zenzaemon, sumo wrestling began to be appropriated into Japanese culture. The cultural influence of this sport, which was once only a lowly form of street fighting, can be seen in works of art such as this one.
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Japanese Sumo Wrestling | History of Wrestling
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