Puppet Marionnette – Soga Juro Sukenari – Utagawa Kunisada (1785-1865) – Japan – Edo Periode (1600-1868)

The print tells one of Japan's most famous true revenge stories: The Revenge of the Soga Brothers (Soga Monogatari). In 1176, a land dispute turned deadly when a samurai named Kudo Suketsune assassinated the father of two young boys, Juro and Goro.The brothers spent the next 18 years training relentlessly, hiding in exile, and waiting for the perfect moment to avenge their father's murder.The Revenge at Mount FujiIn 1193, their enemy Kudo Suketsune attended a massive royal hunting party hosted by the Shogun at the base of Mount Fuji.Under the cover of a massive midnight rainstorm, the brothers sneaked into the camp, broke into Suketsune's cabin, and successfully killed their father's murderer.The aftermath was tragic:• Juro (the brother in your print) was cut down and killed in the chaotic camp battle immediately after the assassination.• Goro was captured and later executed by order of the Shogun.Why is he a puppet?Because the Soga Brothers were hailed as symbols of ultimate filial piety and loyalty, their story became a massive hit in Japanese pop culture for centuries.This print captures a Kabuki theater adaptation of the tale. The puppet strings are a clever visual metaphor often used by Edo-period artists to show a... lees verder bij Catawiki