Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Hara Gôemon Mototoki on one knee, raising his sword, his spear in the other hand
Series: Seichû gishi den (Stories of the Faithful Samurai)
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kunyoshi ga
Seal: Kiri-Mon
Censor: Mera, Murata
Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke, Edo
Date: 1847/48
Size: Horizontal Oban, 36,2 x 24,9 cm
Excellent print and colours, sheet unbacked, a small stain in the text area (due to the printing process); at the upper margin a small restored wormhole, at the right margin minor creases, altogether in perfect condition.
In this famous Samurai series by Kuniyoshi, each hero of the 47 faithful samurai (also known as Chûshingura) is pictured and described. The story goes, that after the forced suicide of their Lord, the daimyo of Akô, Asano Naganori, in the year 1701, the 47 faithful Samurai became Ronin. Two years later, with a lot of tactical planning and effort, they finally had the chance to avenge the death of their Lord by killing Kira Yoshinaka.
Robinson, S54.46. Weinberg, Kuniyoshi. The faithful samurai. Amsterdam 2005, Nr. I.46
sold