The artwork, titled “Ôtaka Gengo Tadao,” is a woodblock print created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi around 1847-1848. This piece is part of the “Stories of the True Loyalty of the Faithful Samurai” series and belongs to the Ukiyo-e art movement. The print, with dimensions of 35.3 x 24.3 cm, falls within the illustration genre and is housed at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, Massachusetts.
The artwork portrays a dynamic and intense scene featuring the character Ôtaka Gengo Tadao. The composition is dominated by a samurai, captured mid-action in a striking and dramatic pose. The samurai’s attire, including his armor and traditional garments, is rendered with intricate detail and vivid colors, typical of Kuniyoshi’s work. His expression and posture suggest readiness and determination. Surrounding the figure is a dense block of text, providing a narrative context to the scene depicted. The overall aesthetic and thematic elements align with the Ukiyo-e tradition, focusing on evocative storytelling and visual splendor.
