Chushingura Act III
Original title: Chushingura Act III
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1800 Kitagawa Utamaro took up a scene from the Kabuki hit play 'Chushingura'. The colour woodblock print on paper measures 38.4 x 26.7 cm and belongs to the late Edo period, when prints had become established as a mass medium of urban culture.
Description
A central figure sits at the middle of the picture, holding a weapon, while several women in traditional Japanese dress have settled around her, some kneeling, some seated. Above, a smaller inset view appears with further people. The layout relies on few tones: black, white and red dominate the sheet, as was usual for Edo-period prints. The placement of the bodies stresses how the participants draw together and pull against one another.
Context
Utamaro made this print around 1800, at a time when woodcuts were the leading visual medium of urban popular culture. 'Chushingura', the tale of the loyal retainers, ranked among the most popular Kabuki subjects and was adapted into print again and again. Utamaro, otherwise known for his bijin-ga, here tackled a dramatic story from the theatre repertoire.
Impact
Crisp contours and a restrained yet strong colouring give the sheet a direct, expressive presence. The grouping of the figures builds a tension that stays beneath the calm surface and carries the drama of the scene. Delicately placed lines and flatly applied colours lend the print a decorative character.
Technique
It was printed with ink and colours on paper in the ukiyo-e woodblock process. The drawing is cut into woodblocks, inked, and then pulled onto the paper; several printing passes brought the colours onto the sheet one after another. Sharp lines and large single-colour areas shape the result.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)