Bidspirit auction | Ukiyo-e. Woodblock print by Utagawa

Ukiyo-e. Woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi - Ukiyo-e: Woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi Japan, late Edo period, 1798-1861. - Kanadehon Chushingura - Color woodblock print on washi (Japanese paper), signed and sealed lower right, title upper right. Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861). Dimensions: 34 x 24 cm. Publisher: Tsujiokaya Kamekichi. Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. The sheet is loose. Condition: Signs of age, slightly browned, upper right corner slightly rubbed, small hole lower left. ''Kanadehon Chushingura'' (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) is an 11-act puppet play from the Bunraku theater, composed in 1748. It is one of the most popular Japanese plays and is mentioned in the same breath as Zeami's ''Matsukaze'' - although the lively plot of ''Chushingura'' differs greatly from the poetic atmosphere in ''Matsukaze''. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) was a significant Japanese artist of the late Edo period and one of the last great masters of Ukiyo-e woodblock printing. He became famous for his dynamic depictions of samurai, ghosts, cats, and Kabuki actors. His series The 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, which made him famous overnight, is particularly well-known. Kuniyoshi's works are characterized by fantasy, humor, and the use of Western perspective techniques, and continue to influence manga, tattoos, and pop culture today.