Murasaki Shikibu, Poet No. 57 - Dramatic kabuki scene of Isami Rokichiro encountering the villain Rokuyaon Gundayu, the man who murdered his parents, on a dark night. The angry Rokichiro stops in his tracks at left, sending a slender knife flying through the air, aiming for his enemy. The blade lodges in the hilt of Gundayu's sword as he whirls around quickly to see the source of the attack. He grips a money bag between his teeth, his large woven hat and a crumpled lantern lying on the ground nearby. A dark cloud drifts before a crescent moon overhead. The poem by Lady Murasaki Shikibu is very appropriate for the subject. It reads:

Meeting on the path:
But I cannot clearly know
If it was he,
Because the midnight moon
In a cloud had disappeared.

A handsome design with fine shading in the background.

Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)

Image Size - 13 1/2" x 8 3/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Stitching holes at side, repaired. Slight toning and creasing, soiling and slight rubbing at edges. Please see photos for details.