End-of-year Cleaning at a Samurai House (detail), By Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period, 19th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 10
November 22, 2016 (Tue) - December 15, 2016 (Thu)
The story of revenge carried out by the faithful retainers of Ako (in present-day Hyogo) was widely known among the Edo (now Tokyo) populace through the Kabuki play Kanadehon chushingura, and was a seasonal theme since it took place in mid-December. Every performance of Chushingura attracted large audiences from that time, and today, the play is still popular for the end of the year. This ukiyo-e exhibit, the last rotation of this year, features the print series by Katsushika Hokusai themed after the eleven acts of Kanadehon chushingura, together with parodies of the play. Hand-painted works consist of folding screens of early pre-modern genre painting, as well as comic pieces.
Current exhibit includes:
Beauties with Pipe, Artist unknown, Edo period, 17th century (Private collection)
Kanadehon chushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers): Act V, By Katsushika Hokusai, Edo period, 19th century
Bodhidharma and Courtesan, By Katsukawa Shunko, Edo period, dated 1803
End-of-year Cleaning at a Samurai House, By Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period, 19th century