Hiroshige - Chushingura Act 8 - Michiyuki

Ando Hiroshige

This is a well known image from the Chushingura story, or the 47 Ronin. It’s a true story where a lord was wrongly forced to commit suicide After his death, 47 of his former men banded together to attack and kill the official to avenge their lord's death. Then they all committed suicide. It was made into Kabuki plays and the subject of many woodblock prints.

Here we see Act 8: Michiyuki or (The Bride's Journey) Tonase and Konami, wife and daughter of Honzô, travel from Kamakura to Yuranosuke's country estate at Yamashina, near Kyoto. They wish to discover the intentions of Yuranosuke's family regarding the longstanding betrothal of Konami and Rikiya.

Hiroshige did at least 10 print series of this story and this is from the 5th version.

Date: 1838

Publisher: Senichi

Condition: Margins as shown. Print is not backed. Minor repair on border, repairs on print as shown.

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/237010