Act IX (Dai kudanme): Actors Sawamura Tanosuke III as Ōboshi Rikiya and Bandō Kamezō I as Kakogawa Honzō, from the series The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers, a Primer (Kanadehon chūshingura)

Art Historical Context

This vibrant woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniaki II captures a dramatic moment from Act IX of *Kanadehon Chūshingura* (The Storehouse of Loyal Ret), the iconic kabuki play dramatizing the true tale of the 47 Ronin—samurai who avenged their lord's death in 1703. Here, kabuki stars Sawamura Tanosuke embodies the hot-headed young warrior Ōboshi Rikiya, Bandō Kamezō I portrays the wise advisor Kakogawa Honzō. Produced in 1862 during Japan's Edo period, it exemplifies *yakusha-e* (actor prints), a staple of ukiyo-e art that celebrated theater luminaries as modern celebrities. Ukiyo-e masters like Kuniaki II, from the renowned Utagawa school, used intricate woodblock techniques—carving separate blocks for each color—to achieve bold lines, vivid hues, and dynamic poses that conveyed the intensity of kabuki performance. Printed on washi paper, these affordable images brought the stage's glamour into everyday homes, fueling a craze for theater culture amid Edo's urban boom. *Chūshingura*'s themes of loyalty and bushido resonated deeply, making it one of Japan's most enduring stories, performed annually to this day. At 14¼ × 9¼ inches, this Met Museum gem invites us to appreciate how woodblock prints preserved fleeting performances, blending artistry with cultural reverence for the "floating world" of entertainment.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kuniaki II · 1835–1888

Japanese, 1835–1888