Who painted Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty?

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1794.

Where can I see Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty?

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty?

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1794

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Chushingura: Act IV of The Storehouse of Loyalty is a Japanese woodblock print executed by Kitagawa Utamō around 1794. The image is part of a series illustrating scenes from the famed tale of the forty‑seven rōnin. It is currently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

A distant vignette of two additional characters near a fence adds narrative depth, hinting at the underlying drama of loyalty and revenge.

The composition presents a garden tableau with three central figures. A woman in a dark kimono and tall hat holds a fan and a small box, gazing downward; a kneeling man in a striped robe and hood stands beside her, while another woman seated among verdant foliage also holds a fan. A distant vignette of two additional characters near a fence adds narrative depth, hinting at the underlying drama of loyalty and revenge.

Technique & Style

Utamō employs the ukiyo‑e woodblock method, using flat, saturated colors and crisp line work to define clothing and foliage. Subtle shading beneath the hoods creates a modest sense of volume, while the careful placement of negative space conveys the tranquility of the garden. The contrast between the serene setting and the characters' poised tension exemplifies the artist’s skill in balancing decorative elegance with narrative implication.

History & Provenance

Created in the late eighteenth century, the print was likely produced for the popular market of illustrated books that recounted the Chushingura legend. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, joining a broader assemblage of Edo‑period prints that illustrate the period’s visual culture.