2 Katsukawa Shunsen 1762 – 1830 The Repentance of Honzo

Japan, after 1806 (Edo period),
from the series The Loyal League of Forty-seven Ronin (Uki-e Chūshingura)

This intriguing woodblock print originates from a series dedicated to the legendary tale of the 47 Ronin (Chūshingura) and was designed by the artist Katsukawa Shunsen. The print is executed in the uki-e ("perspective picture") style, which is highly evident from the dramatically receding architectural lines that incorporate Western linear perspective. The scene illustrates the dramatic Act 9 of the play. Following a heated argument between the mothers Oishi and Tonase regarding the marriage of their children, the samurai Honzō arrives and a struggle ensues. Rikiya easily strikes Honzō down; however, the battle-hardened samurai intended to die all along. His willingness to die by Rikiya's hand was an acknowledgment of his complicity in the tragic fate of Lord En'ya. He atones by handing Rikiya the ultimate tool for the impending vendetta to succeed: a detailed map of the enemy Moronao's estate. The scene in the far background shows the leader Yuranosuke and Rikiya examining this crucial map. An impression of this print is held in the collection of the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth.