Author: Utagawa Yoshitora (歌川芳虎).
Subject: En'ya Hangan Minamoto no Takasada (塩谷判官源高貞).
Series: Genesis of the loyal retainers (chūshingishi den hattan, 忠臣義士伝発端), from the Biographies of the loyal retainers
(chūshingishi meimei den, 忠臣義士銘々伝).
Number: 2/50.
Genre: musha-e (武者絵), chūshingura (忠臣蔵).
Size: medium (chūban, 中判) 25,2cm x 18,1 cm (9,88 x 7,12 inches).
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (若狭屋与市) here as Shiba Jakuyōhan (芝若与板).
Period: c. 1864.
Trimmed: no
Backed: no
Fixing: yes
Code: UTY01005
Condition: color is well preserved, and the print doesn't appear to have been trimmed or backed.
There are no significant folds or stains, but it does have multiple repairs (as can be seen in the photos).
Minamoto Takasada (源高貞), was vassal of the Ashikaga (足利) clan who served as the lord of Akao Castle (Akao jō / 赤尾城)
in Harima (播磨) Province. Remembered for his unwavering loyalty and steadfast sincerity, he also was deeply committed to the
virtues of loyalty and benevolence. He excelled in both scholarship and martial arts.
He loved his loyal and virtuous retainers as if they were his own children, providing abundant support to many of them.
One day, he was tasked with entertaining and assisting imperial messengers and ordered to consult with Kō no Moronao (高師直)
about matters of protocol. Moronao displayed strong greed and treated the importance of the occasion lightly. His words and
actions were often disrespectful and crossed the boundaries of decorum on several occasions.
Takasada tries to overcome his shame and performs his official duties, but Moronao's poisonous words were so harsh that he was
unable to bear it anymore and ended up trying to stab Moronao, failing in killing him. Then he was then arrested and sentenced
to commit seppuku (切腹)..
Then the story of the 40 loyal retainers follows…
Actually, Moronao was a warrior from the 14th century associated with the Ashikaga clan, known for his violence, greed, and lewdness.
His name is used here instead of the on of Kira Yoshinaka (吉良義央) because at the time when the Kana dehon Chūshingura (仮名手本忠臣蔵)
was performed in theaters, it was not allowed to use the real names of the characters involved in the incident. The same applies to
the Takasada, who is probably referring to Asano Naganori (浅野長矩).