Umegatani Tōtarō (1845-1928), Sumo wrestler

Utagawa Kuniaki

1884

Woodblock print

Dallas Museum of Art

Umegatani Tōtarō, depicted here, was one of the most celebrated sumo wrestlers of his time. Although small in stature compared to his peers, he relied on his remarkable strength to amass an astonishing record of 110 victories and only six losses. His success in the ring helped make the sport even more famous in Japan. This print is the center image from a triptych, or threepaneled artwork, showing Tōtarō either before or after a match. storage