Kuniyoshi: Nakamura Kansuke Tadatoki
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Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)

Nakamura Kansuke Tadatoki dodging bundles of firewood, his foot on a bale of charcoal

Series: Seichû gishi den (Stories of the Faithful Samurai)

Signature: Ichiyûsai Kunyoshi ga

Seal: Kiri-Mon

Censor: Mera, Murata

Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke, Edo

Date: 1847/48

Size: Horizontal Oban, 36,2 x 25,3 cm

Excellent print and colours, sheet unbacked. Excellent condition.

In this famous Samurai series by Kuniyoshi, each hero of the 47 faithful samurai (also known as Chûshingura) is pictured and described. The story goes, that after the forced suicide of their Lord, the daimyo of Akô, Asano Naganori, in the year 1701, the 47 faithful Samurai became Ronin. Two years later, with a lot of tactical planning and effort, they finally had the chance to avenge the death of their Lord by killing Kira Yoshinaka.

Robinson, S54.16. Weinberg, Kuniyoshi. The faithful samurai. Amsterdam 2005, Nr. I.16

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