Atto I
1806
Hokusai sets the stage for a classic Japanese tragedy in this vibrant woodblock print, depicting the first act of the famous 'Chushingura' (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) story. With his signature Mount Fuji looming over a red torii gate and the sea, the scene is packed with drama: a nobleman reclines in the foreground while a woman stands elegantly nearby, and a samurai carries a gift box on the left. It’s a brilliant snapshot of Edo-period theater, showing that Hokusai was just as skilled at capturing human emotion and storytelling as he was at painting great waves.
- Technique
- woodblock print
- Material
- paper