The History of Fighting

A young Masutatsu “Mas” Oyama training on a makiwara board c.1954.

A fight between Masahiko Kimura, Judo master and Heloi Gracie, the Brazilian Jujutsu legend from 1951

Title:  Jujutsu

Date:  c.1815

Artist:  Toyokuni Utagawa (Also referred to as Toyokuni I)

Information:  This woodblock print by renowned artist Toyokuni Utagawa depicts an expert in Jujutsu fending off multiple attackers. Utagawa was one of the leading artists that came out of the famous Utagawa school of Japanese woodblock art, and is credited with making the school famous in the 19th century.

Title:  Madame Collie of Rome fencing at Angelo’s academy

Date:  1816

Artist:  Thomas Rowlandson

Infomation:  Henry Angelo was the most famous fencer and teacher of swordsmanship in England during the 18th century. This picture depicts his fencing school, situated in Bond St in London, when it was visited by Madame Collie of Rome.

O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) who founded Aikido in the early nineteen hundreds.

In this video legendary swordsman Haga Junichi is demonstrating kendo from the early Showa period of Japanese history, a period that started in 1926 and ended with the death of the Showa Emperor, Hirohito in 1989. (Note the unarmed wrestling at the end of the film).

Title:  The Close of the Battle or The Champion Triumphant

Date:  19th Century

Artist:  Unknown (published by Walker and Knight)

Information:  This hand coloured etching depicts the second of two epic battles between the champion Tom Cribb (who won both fights) and Tom Molineaux, a former slave and the first American challenger to the title.

Title:  Wrestling Match

Date:  c.1649

Artist:   Michiel Sweerts (1618–1664)

Information:  17th century oil painting depicting a wrestling contest.