Twelve Acts of the Lantern Chûshingura

(Ju-ni dan shoku Kanadehon Chôchingura, 十二段續假名手本挑燈蔵)

Publisher: Mita-ya Kihachi

1852

 

This series combines large bust portraits of actors with figures composed of paper lanterns in rectangular inserts.  It is listed as number 218 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  The series title uses chôchingura (挑燈蔵) instead of chûshingura (忠臣蔵).  This is a pun, as chôchingura can mean either lantern treasury or storehouse.  The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this section.

 

 

Act: 1 Introduction (Daijo, 大序)

Actor: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Ko no Moronao

Inset: Actors as Momonoi Waka-no-suke and Kaoyo-gozen

 

Another state of the above design with the inset having a purple background

 

Another state of the above design with the inset having a blue-grey background

 

Act: 2 (Ni dan me, 二段目)

Actor: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Momonoi Wakasanosuke

Inset: Actors as Rikiya (son of Oboshi Yuranosuke) and Konami

 

Another state of the above design

 

Act: 3 (San dan me, 三段目)

Actor: Bandô Shûchô I as Okaru

Inset: Probably Kempachi

 

Act: 4 (Shi dan me, 四段目)

Actor: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Ôboshi Rikiya

Inset: Seki Sanjûrô as Ôboshi Yuranosuke holding a closed fan and an unidentified actor

 

Another state of the above design without any purple

 

Act: 5 (Go dan me, 五段目)

Actor: Arashi Kichisaburô III as Ono no Sadakurô

Inset: The farmer Yoichibei in a straw hat

 

Another state of the above design

 

Act: 6 (Roku dan me, 六段目)

Actor: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Hayano Kanpei holding a gun

Inset: Actor as Konami

Kuniyoshi -  12 Acts of the Lantern Chûshingura (Ju-ni dan shoku Kanadehon Chûshingura), Act  7, Ichikawa Kodanji IV asTeraoka Heiemon) and Bandô Shûka I as (Okaru)

 

Act: 7 (Nana dan me, 七段[])

Actor: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Teraoka Heiemon (寺岡平右衛門) 

Inset: Bandô Shûka I as Okaru (お軽)

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