Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
The samurai Katsuta Shinemon Taketaka raising a lantern and gazing at a small Chin palace dog with a ruff collar barking at him (No. 18)
Series: Seichû gishi den (Stories of the Faithful Samurai)
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kunyoshi ga
Seal: Kiri-Mon
Censors: Mera and Murata
Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke (Ebirin, Kaijudô), Edo
Date: c. 1847/48
Size: Vertical Oban, 36,2 x 25,2 cm (overall)
Excellent impression and colours. Unbacked. At right margin a fingerprint, else excellent condition.
Robinson, S54.23. Ill. in Weinberg, Kuniyoshi. The faithful samurai. Amsterdam 2005, p. 74 f, No. I.23
One of Kuniyoshi’s most famous warrior series. Each one of the 47 legendary heroes of the history of the loyal retainers (Chûshingura) is presented here in a single image, together with his biography.
Having become masterless samurai (rônin) after the forced suicide of their lord, the daimyô of Akô, Asano Naganori (1701), these loyal retainers avenged their master’s death - after two years of secret planning – by killing their foe Kira Yoshinaka.
sold