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: 11th 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: 11th 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: 11th month of 1852

Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô

Actor: Ichimura Uzaemon XII

Role: Seta Masanojo (潮田政之丞高教)

 

 

Series:

Robinson:

Date: c. 1850-1

Publisher: Tanba-ya Hanjirô

Actor:

Role: Ôboshi Yuranosuke

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 ()

Date:

Publisher: Idzutsu-ya Shôkichi

Actor:

Role: Ôboshi Yuranosuke (left) and Moronao (right)

Series: The print is inscribed “ro” () 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)

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

 

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