Painting on silk mounted as a kakemono, Japan, Edo period (1603-1868) Ink and pigments on silk depicting some of the 47 ronin with their leader Ōishi Kuranosuke Yoshio (大石内蔵助良雄). Each character is accompanied by a gilded paper cartouche with his or her name inscribed in black ink. At the top, a literary text recalls the exploits of loyal vassals and their remembrance. Here's a rough translation of the text, which was written by Akamatsu Kō, a scholar and politician serving the Akō (Mōri) clan in Harima province: "The forty-seven rōnin are men of loyalty and justice, warriors of honor through the ages. / Who could be like them? Not seeking vengeance out of anger, but with sincerity and remorse, they swore oaths in ancient times. / Their sincere hearts are praiseworthy, they bided their time patiently and acted with one spirit. / Though they lost their lives, their names will live on in the depths of remembrance. / Their deeds touched the hearts of hundreds, their shadows extending beyond the forty-seven men. / Their fame, their tears, all remain united in resolute spirit. / Their loyalty is immortal, their memory worthy of praise. / Respectful portrait of Akamatsu Kō of Harima, old man of 73." 202 x 53.5 cm