忠臣蔵四段目

Description

In Kitagawa Utamaro’s image of Chūshingura’s fourth act, a close pair occupies a circular, fan-like central field, with handwritten text forming a surrounding border. A reddish robe at the left meets paler striping at the right, with blossom between the figures. The source title, 忠臣蔵四段目, identifies Chūshingura’s fourth act while the image keeps its immediate encounter compact.

Made around 1798, the woodblock print uses ink and color on paper. Utamaro brings drama into a format that can be encountered closely, allowing the image to retain its own presence within an extended tale. The scene’s appeal lies in that relationship between part and whole. A single act becomes an opportunity for attention to particular figures, while the wider story remains a frame through which their represented encounter can be understood.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Kitagawa Utamaro collection.