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From the 47 Ronin by Kawanabe Kyosai — Japanese Woodblock print

From the 47 Ronin

by Kawanabe Kyosai

Medium:
Woodblock print
Image courtesy of
Robyn Buntin of Honolulu

Description

The second print in Kyosai's serialized Chûshingura sequence continues the visual narrative of the forty-seven ronin's vendetta. Early in the numerical sequence, this print may depict foundational episodes: the confrontation between Asano and Kira at Edo Castle, Asano's arrest and forced seppuku, or the oath of the ronin to avenge their lord. Kyosai's figure compositions in warrior-print subjects frequently employed diagonal recession to create spatial depth on the flat picture plane, with architectural elements — the tatami-floored corridors of Edo Castle, the gates of a daimyo compound — providing spatial scaffolding. Color deployment in nishiki-e warrior prints typically emphasizes the lacquered black and iron-grey of armor against interior or nocturnal settings.

More Prints by Kawanabe Kyosai

Frequently Asked Questions

From the 47 Ronin was created by Kawanabe Kyosai (河鍋暁斎).