Japanese Woodblock Print, 1847, published by Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

SIZE IN INCHES: oban, 10.25 x 14.25

COMMENTS: In 1702, Lord Asano of Ako was provoked by Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka into drawing his sword in the shogun's palace, for which he was forced to take his own life, and his estate was confiscated. Forty-seven of Lord Asano's retainers, who were now ronin (samurai without masters), planned and carried out a successful attack on Kira's palace. Kira's head was cut off with the same dagger Lord Asano used to commit seppuku. (The term hara-kiri, although more common in English than seppuku, is considered in Japan to be a vulgar and disrespectful description of an honorable act.). The 46 surviving ronin were forced to take their own lives. These events were made into the play, Kanadehon Chushingura. The prints in this series represent the characters in the story, with some of the names altered.

KUNIYOSHI UTAGAWA (1797-1861) was born in Edo (present-day Tokyo. He was the son of a silk dyer named Yanagiya Kichiemon and was given the name Yoshisaburo at birth. At the age of 14, he joined the Utagawa School of ukiyo-e artists, then headed by Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825). Toyokuni I gave Yoshisaburo the name Utagawa Kuniyoshi; Kuniyoshi being a combination of the names Toyokuni and Yoshisaburo. In 1814, Kuniyoshi ended his apprenticeship and set out as an independent artist. He initially produced actor prints in the style of his teacher, which gained him little recognition. Kuniyoshi achieved a commercial and artistic breakthrough in 1827 with the first six designs of the series, The 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. The series was bases upon a 14th century Chinese novel about the adventures of a band of 108 honorable bandits and rebels. Like his teacher, Kuniyoshi had many students including Yoshitoshi, Yoshiku, Yoshikazu, Yoshitsuya, Yoshiyuki, Yoshifuji, Yoshifusa, Yoshiharu, Yoshikage, Yoshikata, Yoshikatsu, Yoshimori, Yoshimune, Yoshinao, Yoshinobu, Yoshitoyo, Yoshitsuna, Kyosai (briefly) and his own daughters, Yoshitora and Yoshitori. Kuniyoshi had a special fondness for cats, which overran his studio and are portrayed in many of his prints. Although Kuniyoshi is now universally known as Utagawa Kuniyoshi, he also used the names Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi, Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi, Igusa Kuniyoshi, Ichi Kuniyoshi and Saihosa Kuniyoshi. He died from complications of a stroke on April 14, 1861.

VG, with minor flaws as shown