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
	Act: 7 (Nana dan me, 七段[目]) 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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