Miscellaneous Chûshingura prints

 

In 1702, Lord Asano of Akô was provoked by Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka into drawing his sword in the shogun’s palace, for which he was forced to take his own life, and his estate was confiscated.  Forty-seven of Lord Asano’s retainers, who were now rônin (samurai without masters), planned, and carried out a successful attack on Kira’s palace.  Kira’s head was cut off with the same dagger Lord Asano used to commit seppuku.  (The term “hara-kiri”, although more common in English than “seppuku”, is considered in Japan to be a vulgar and disrespectful description of an honorable act.).  The 46 surviving rônin were forced to take their own lives.  These events were made into the play, Kanadehon Chûshingura.

 

 

Series: The Storytellers’ Chûshingura

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Act 8 of the Chûshingura with a verse by storyteller Magosaburô (馬士三郎)

Description:

Format:

Date: c. 1831-1832

Publisher: No seal

 

 

Series: The Storytellers’ Chûshingura

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Act 9 of the Chûshingura with a verse by storyteller Sanshôtei Karaku (三笑亭可楽)

Description:

Format:

Date: c. 1831-1832

Publisher: No seal

 

Kuniyoshi - Chûshingura, oban of Yoichibei's Home,

Series: Untitled ôban series

Robinson: Not listed

Date:

Publisher:

Actor:

Role: In Yoichibei’s home, Konami kneeling with Rikiya standing before a screen in Act II

Kuniyoshi - Scene from the Chushingura

Series:

Robinson:

Date:

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Actor:

Role:

Kuniyoshi - Scene from the Tale of the 47 Ronin (Chûshingura)

Series: The print is inscribed “ro” () which indicates number two in hiragana order

Date:

Publisher:

Actor:

Roles: Ôboshi Rikiya (大星力弥, right), Ôboshi Yuranosuke (大星由良之助, standing center) and an unidentified actor as Shikamatsu Kanroku Yukishige (far left)

Series: Biographies of the Heroines of the Chûshingura (忠臣蔵烈女傳)

Description: The mother of Takashige (Takebayashi Sadahichi Takashige no haha, left) and the wife of Enya Hangan (Enya Takasada no shitsu Kaoyo-gozen, right)

Date: 1847-1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Size: Ôban, the sheet is about 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters)

Publisher: Yamato-ya Kyûbei

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

 

“Robinson” refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). 

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