Kunisada: Ronin Raising his Lantern and Preparing for the Night Attack

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)Title: 富森助右衛門正周 中村芝翫 Nakamura Shikan as Tomimori Sukeemon Masayori; the Syllable Wi. Series: Stories of the Faithful Samurai 誠忠義士伝 (Seichu Gishi Den) Date: 1864 富森助右衛門正周 中村芝翫 Nakamura Shikan as Tomimori Suke'emon Masayori; the Syllable Wi. He wears a helmet and reaches behind with his right hand for his sword hilt. He holds aloft a lantern. His garments and even the lantern bear distinctive black-and-white pattern that is traditionally worn by the Forty-Seven Ronin. In this series, kabuki actors are portrayed as one of the 47 Ronin, each dressed in the harlequin-like outfits that the masterless samurai donned for their famous night attack of vengeance against Lord Kira in the Chushingura tales. In this series they are “counted” by the kana syllabary, and this is the Syllable Wi. Kunisada signed this with pride with his age, seventy-nine, which ended up being his final year of his life. Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.y. Dimensions: ôban (36.5 x 24.5 cm) Publisher: Daikokuya Kinzaburô Signature: Seventy-nine-year-old Toyokuni hitsu