Act 7 (Shichidanme), from the series "The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1834/39
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
24.6 × 36.5 cm (9 11/16 × 14 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33767
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Immediately following Lord Asano’s death, Kuranosuke—leader of the forty-seven retainers—made all swear to avenge him. Although they began to secretly search for Lord Kira, each feigned indifference to the event and continued with their everyday lives. Here, Kuranosuke attends a banquet at Ichiriki-ya, a teahouse served by courtesans. Also present is Kudayu, a spy for Lord Kira. To dispel Kudzu’s suspicions, Kuranosuke eats fish on the eve of the anniversary of Asano’s death—an act of great disr...
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...