Act Two: The House of Kakogawa Honzo from the play Chushingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers)
Katsukawa Shunsho
c. 1779/80
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
26.6 × 19.5 cm (10 1/2 × 7 11/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36106
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This scene introduces the classic theme of a young betrothed couple torn between their mutual love for each other and the family loyalties that divide them. The samurai is Rikiya, one of Lord Asano’s retainers and the son of Kuranosuke, Chamberlain and leader of the forty-seven samurai retainers. His betrothed is Konami, daughter of Honzo, a chief retainer to the shogun. As Rikiya delivers the message to Honzo‘s wife that the provincial Lords Asano and Wakasa must appear at the shogun’s court th...