Description

The thirteenth print appearing in Volume 3 of Gishi taikan, edited by Fukumoto Nichinan. 

In this print we see Ōishi Kuranosuke and two of the Righteous Samurai standing before the torii leading to Tsurugaoka Hachiman shrine in Kamakura.

Fukumoto's commentary begins, "On October 22nd, Genroku 15 [December 10, 1702, four days before the vendetta is carried out] Ōishi Kuranosuke and his party arrived in Kamakura, the place where Tsurugaoka Hachiman shrine is located." It is likely he went there to pray for the success of the vendetta against Kira before proceeding to Edo to carry it out.[1]

While at the shrine he was joined by Yoshida Chūzaemon 吉田忠左衛門 and Tomimori Suke'emon 富森助石衛門[2] who had been living in Edo under assumed names and who a few days later would take part in, and then be tasked with reporting to the bakufu, the murder of Kira.

[1] My translation of print commentary shown below.

[2] Tominomori Suke’emon Masakata 富森助右衛門正因

Print Details

Artist Profile

Satake Eiryō 佐竹永陵 (1872-1937) 

Born in Tokyo on May 5, 1872 into the Kuroda 黒田 family, Eiryō studied under the Japanese-style painter Satake Eiko 佐竹永湖 (1835-1909) beginning in 1887 and was adopted by the Satake family. Early on he exhibited his work at government sponsored exhibitions including the National Industrial Exhibition and Bunten. He also exhibited with and served as a juror at the Bijutsu Kyōkai and Nihongakai. He won awards at the 6th and 9th Bunten exhibitions and was honored by the Ministry of the Imperial Household. In 1906, he formed the Japan Nihon Nanshū Gakai 日本南宗画会 (Japan Southern School of Chinese Painting Association) with Matsubayashi Keigetsu 松林桂月 (1876-1963) and others. In later years he exhibited almost exclusively with the Japan Art Association He was a leading authority on the poet and painter Tani Bunchō 谷文晁 (1763-1841), founder of the Nanboku gōitsu school of painting and teacher of Eiryō's adoptive father Eiko.He died on January 8, 1937, at the age of 66. 

Sources: A Dictionary of Japanese Artists: Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Prints, Lacquer, Laurance P. Roberts, Weatherhill, 1976, p. 138-139; Tobunken website; Kotobank website