Act 9 (Kyudanme), from the series "The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1834/39
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
24.5 × 37 cm (9 5/8 × 14 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
89733
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the open room at Yamashima, Honzo has committed seppuku in the presence of his wife and daughter. This is in atonement for his past support of Kira, which greatly contributed to Asano’s death and reduced his retainers to ronin outcasts. In the snow-covered courtyard, Kuranosuke dons the Buddhist monk disguise, which other artists show Honzo wearing on his arrival at Yamashima. Kuranosuke leaves his weeping wife and son Rikiya kneeling in the snow to go to Sakai to complete the plans for attac...
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...