Artwork

Chushingura: Act VI (from the series Perspective Pictures for The Treasure House of Loyalty)

Chushingura: Act VI (from the series Perspective Pictures for The Treasure House of Loyalty) is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitao Masayoshi. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1985.338.6
Credit line: The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith

About this work

The scene comes from a famous story of forty-seven loyal retainers who avenged their lord’s death in 1702.

This print shows a samurai kneeling indoors, sword placed before him. A single lantern lights his face from below. Shadows stretch long across the tatami mats.

The scene comes from a famous story of forty-seven loyal retainers who avenged their lord’s death in 1702. They waited years, then struck at night. Masayoshi belonged to the ukiyo-e school known for bold lines and dramatic contrasts.

If you like this dramatic lighting, look up chiaroscuro.

Overview

Chushingura: Act VI is a print from the series Perspective Pictures for The Treasure House of Loyalty, created by Kitao Masayoshi around 1794.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a pivotal scene from the story of the forty-seven ronin, a famous tale of loyalty and revenge in 18th-century Japan. The image shows a samurai kneeling in a dimly lit interior, his sword laid before him.

Technique & Style

The dramatic lighting, with a single lantern casting long shadows across the tatami mats, is characteristic of the ukiyo-e school's use of bold lines and chiaroscuro.

History & Provenance

The print is now held at The Cleveland Museum of Art.