Act Ten: Gihei’s loyalty is tested by the Rōnin disguised as police officers, Utagawa Hiroshige

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Utagawa Hiroshige, Act Ten: Gihei’s loyalty is tested by the Rōnin disguised as police officers
Utagawa Hiroshige, Act Ten: Gihei’s loyalty is tested by the Rōnin disguised as police officers
Utagawa Hiroshige
Act Ten: Gihei’s loyalty is tested by the Rōnin disguised as police officers
1847–1853, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Hiroshige
1797–1858
Act Ten: Gihei’s loyalty is tested by the Rōnin disguised as police officers, 1847–1853, Edo period (1600–1868)
Portfolio/Series title: Chūshingura (Story of Forty-Seven Rōnin)
Where object was made: Japan
Material/technique: color woodcut
Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 153 x 211 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 6 1/2 x 8 5/16 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 173 x 229 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 6 13/16 x 9 1/2 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 11 x 14 in
Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial
Accession number: 1928.7458
Not on display
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Exhibition Label: "The Art of Stories Told," Jun-2004, Verionica de Jong Gihei, a merchant involved in the revenge plot, could not become a samurai because classes were fixed during this period in history. However, during this period merchants were wealthy and powerful and sponsored many plays like this one. In order to appeal to the merchant audience of this play, Gihei was depicted as a man of integrity. His loyalty is proven one night when the rōnin (master-less samurai) disguise themselves as police officers and demand Gihei inform them of who is plotting an attack. They threaten to kill his young son but Gihei remains silent. Yuranosuke, the leader of the band of rōnin, then emerges from a crate and apologizes to Gihei, explaining the need to insure complete secrecy of their plans.