Swashbuckling Samurai

through September 13, 2020

The Treasury of Loyal Retainers is a fictionalized account of one of the most famous stories in Japanese history, the 47 rōnin (masterless samurai) who avenged their master’s death. Retold in numerous plays, novels, and films, the story was also popular material for woodblock print artists in the 1800s, including a series of 12 prints by Utagawa Hiroshige created in the 1840s. Through a selection of prints from the DAI’s collection, follow the adventure and drama of this epic story.

Utagawa Hiroshige I (Japanese, 1797–1858), Night Attack, c. 1843–1847, from the series The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, woodblock print, ink and color on paper. Gift of Miss Annie Campbell, 1947.101.8