Minneapolis Institute of Art

Act XI

Katsushika Hokusai

Date

c. 1806

Medium

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Hokusai's dynamic rendering of act 11 shows the forty-seven warriors' arrival at the enemy's mansion. As some are scaling the wall with a ladder, one samurai is about to break the wooden gate with a large hammer. Forcing their way into the mansion, they subdue Moronao's henchmen and then find him hiding in a charcoal shed. After killing and beheading Moronao, the warriors go to Enya's grave to offer the severed head to the lord's spirit. Although the story of Chñshingura ends there, the factual account has it that they orderly surrendered to the authority. Gracefully accepting the death sentence, they all committed ritual suicide on the same day. Chñshingura is staged in Kabuki theaters even today. Performances typically take place in December, the same month when the warriors exacted their revenge. Japan, Asia

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