Mister Nanshou The protagonist of this painting, SaigoTakamori (1827-1877), was a politician and a soldier of the Bakumatsu Period and the early Meiji Period. A guiding figure of the “Sonnojoi” (revere the emperor, expel the barbarians) and the “Tobaku” (end the military rule and make the emperor a true governor of Japan) movements, Saigo was called by many as Kichibee or Kichinoshuke. Saigo had an alternative name of Nanshou. Saigo in this half-length portrait radiates vitality. The coloring and brushworks not only show the painter’s masterly skills but also his dedication to studying Japanese painting. The red maple leaves in the background derive from a poem written by Saigo, “Beautiful and snow-withstanding are plum flowers; red and frost-enduring are maple leaves.” Through these metaphors, Saigo indicated he was a loyal courtier.