Act X (Dai jūdanme) - Utagawa Kuniaki II

A traditional Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniaki II, depicting a dramatic scene from the kabuki play Kanadehon Chūshingura.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniaki II depicts a scene from the tenth act of the classic kabuki play, Kanadehon Chūshingura. The narrative follows the legendary tale of the forty-seven rōnin. In this specific moment, the characters Ōboshi Yuranosuke, Amakawaya Gihei, and his wife Osono are shown in a tense interaction. The composition employs the traditional conventions of the Ukiyo-e school, focusing on the dramatic expressions and postures of the kabuki actors.

Kuniaki II, a student of Utagawa Kunisada, captures the theatricality of the Edo period stage. The actors are identified by their specific roles: Kataoka Nizaemon VIII portrays the leader Yuranosuke, while Bandō Kamezō I and Ichikawa Dannosuke V take on the roles of the merchant Gihei and his wife. The print features a distinctive triangular border pattern, a common framing device in prints of this era. The colour palette relies on muted earth tones, greens, and deep reds, typical of the mid-nineteenth-century printing techniques.

The print serves as a visual record of a specific performance. It documents the costume details and the stylised gestures that defined the kabuki aesthetic. The figures are arranged to suggest a shallow stage space, with the background elements providing context for the domestic setting of the scene. The inclusion of cartouches containing text provides the viewer with the necessary information regarding the play, the act, and the actors involved. This work is part of a larger series that popularised the Chūshingura narrative through affordable, mass-produced prints for the urban population of Japan. The attention to the patterns on the garments and the expressive lines of the faces demonstrate the technical skill involved in the carving and printing process of the Utagawa school.