Act 3 (Sandanme), from the series "The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1834/39
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
25.5 × 36.5 cm (10 1/16 × 14 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33755
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Outside a shogunal mansion in Kamakura, Honzo has brought gifts for Lord Kira on behalf of Lord Wakasa. Wakasa was offended by Kira’s treatment of the two lords and thus threatened to kill Kira. These gifts greatly pleased Kira, known for his love of gold.. Because Lord Asano did not match this largess, and because of Asano’s wife earlier rejection of Kira, he continued to insult and taunt Asano. This drove the proud lord to attack Kira with a knife in the shogun’s court, the origin of this tale...
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...