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: Mirror of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshin giyû kagami, 忠臣義勇鑑) Robinson: 206 Date: 11^th month of 1852 Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô Actor: Nakamura Kanemon IV Role: Takebayashi Sadashichi Takashige (武林貞七隆重)
	Series: Mirror of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshin giyû kagami, 忠臣義勇鑑) Robinson: 206 Date: 11^th month of 1852 Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô Actor: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII Role: Otaka Gengo Tadao (大鷹伝吾忠雄)
	Series: Mirror of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshin giyû kagami, 忠臣義勇鑑) Robinson: 206 Date: 11^th month of 1852 Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô Actor: Ichimura Uzaemon XII Role: Seta Masanojo (潮田政之丞高教)
	Series: Pictures of the Loyal Retainers (義土銘々傳) Number: 3 (㊂) Robinson: Not listed Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura (假名手本忠臣蔵) Inset: Senzaki Yagorô Noriyasu (千崎矢五郎則休) Date: 12^th month of 1857 Publisher: Ogawa Hansuke
	Series: Pictures of the Loyal Retainers (義土銘々傳) Number: 5 (㊄) Robinson: Not listed Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura (假名手本忠臣蔵) Inset: Kataoka Dengoemon Takafusa (片岡傳五右衛門高房) Date: 12^th month of 1857 Publisher: Ogawa Hansuke
	Series: Pictures of the Loyal Retainers (義土銘々傳) Number: 7 (㊆) Robinson: Not listed Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura (假名手本忠臣蔵) Inset: Hayami Sôzaemon Mitsutaka (早水総左衛門満尭) Date: 12^th month of 1857 Publisher: Ogawa Hansuke
	Series: Robinson: Date: c. 1850-1 Publisher: Tanba-ya Hanjirô Actor: Role: Ôboshi Yuranosuke
	Series: Untitled Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Ôboshi Yuranosuke Yoshio seated on a stool Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke Date: 1843-1846 Robinson: S95c (not listed)
	Series: Untitled Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters) Description: Yoshida Chûzaemon Kanesuke seated on a stool Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke Date: 1843-1846 Robinson: S95c (not listed) I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.
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
Series: Robinson: Date: Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei Actor: Role:
Series: The print is numbered seven within a circle (㊆) Date: Publisher: Idzutsu-ya Shôkichi Actor: Role: Ôboshi Yuranosuke (left) and Moronao (right)
Series: The print is inscribed “ro” (ろ) which indicates number two in hiragana order Date: Publisher: Actor: Roles: Ôboshi Rikiya Yoshikane (right), Ôboshi Yuranosuke Yoshio (standing center) and Shikamatsu Kanroku Yukishige (far left)
Series: Date: 1849-1852 (censors Hama and Magome) Publisher: Roles: Ono no Sadakurô robbing Yoichibei in Act 5

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

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN PAGE