Kunisada: Ronin Holding a Chain Sickle Against a Katana Sword

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)
Title:  The Syllable Mi: Actor Ichimura Kakitsu IV as Yokokawa Kanpei Munenori 宗則.

Series: Stories of the Faithful Samurai 誠忠義士伝 (Seichu Gishi Den)

Date: 1864

The Syllable Mi: Actor Ichimura Kakitsu IV as Yokokawa Kanpei Munenori 宗則. He holds kusarigama  鎖鎌, a chain sickle, which blocks the impending blow of a katana sword. We can see the sickle weapon held up high as well as the iron weight that dangles from the end of the weapon’s chain.

In this series, kabuki actors are portrayed as one of the 47 Ronin, each dressed in the harlequin-like outfits that the masterless samurai donned for their famous night attack of vengeance against Lord Kira in the Chushingura tales.  In this series they are “counted” by the kana syllabary, and this is the Syllable Mi. Munenori’s real name was Munetoshi 横川勘平宗利, and he of course committed seppuku in 1703. 

Kunisada signed this with pride with his age, seventy-nine, which ended up being his final year of his life. Beautifully printed.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.y.

Dimensions: ôban (36.5 x 24.5 cm)   Publisher: Daikokuya Kinzaburô

Signature:  Seventy-nine-year-old Toyokuni hitsu

SKU: KUS554