Description
During the legendary assault on the residence of Kira Yoshinaka (吉良義央), Tominomori Sukeemon Masayori (富森助右衛門正因), one of the 47 ronin (四十七士) as well as one of the first to enter through the main door, wearing on the waist a piece of his mother’s clothing as a lucky charm, rejects with his sword an hibachi (火鉢) brazier used as a bullet against him.
The work, by the artist Toyohara Kunichika (豊原国周), is taken from the series “Biographies of the Loyal Retainers” (義士銘々伝). The kabuki (歌舞伎) actor here playing the role of the famous samurai is Onoe Kikugoro V (五代目尾上菊五郎).
The precious woodblock print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), made in 1895, despite the right patina of time and some small holes, is in very good general condition.
