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「元禄日本錦」 「れ」「大石瀬左エ門信清」「す」「寺坂吉右エ門信行」 by Kawanabe Kyosai — Japanese Woodblock print

「元禄日本錦」 「れ」「大石瀬左エ門信清」「す」「寺坂吉右エ門信行」

by Kawanabe Kyosai

Medium:
Woodblock print
Image courtesy of
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Description

From Genroku Nihon Nishiki, this print shows Oishi Seizaemon Nobukiyo and Terasaka Kichiemon Nobuyuki, labeled with the syllables 're' and 'su.' Terasaka Kichiemon is notable for being the only ronin who survived the vendetta and lived into old age, having been sent away before the group's ritual suicide. Kyosai's inclusion of both figures in a single oban-format sheet follows the series convention of pairing ronin by iroha syllable order. The bold compositional clarity expected of woodblock warrior prints is balanced by Kyosai's characteristically expressive brushwork, translated through the carver into bold contour lines.

More Prints by Kawanabe Kyosai

Frequently Asked Questions

「元禄日本錦」 「れ」「大石瀬左エ門信清」「す」「寺坂吉右エ門信行」 was created by Kawanabe Kyosai (河鍋暁斎).