Posted by Irwin (174.25.9.98) on January 30, 2012 at 01:22:49:
In Reply to: Hiroshige print without name and year? posted by Mikael on January 27, 2012 at 11:02:15:
Hi Mikael,
The series consists of prints depicting the twelve scenes from Chushingura and was published by Arita-ya.
For additional information on this series and Hiroshige's other two Chushingura series, see "A Guide to Japanese Prints and Their Subject Matter", Basil Stewart, Dover Publications, Inc., 1979, Chapters XXVII and XXVIII.
Stewart notes that "This set is very uncommon." He goes on to describe the scene in each print and notes on the above print:
"Act XI. First Episode. Snow scene at night in the grounds of Moronao's castle. Moronao discovered in his hiding-place in an outhouse used to store wood and charcoal, one of the ronin blows a whistle, a prearranged signal that their enemy has been found.
Irwin