Join curator and Japanese and Korean Studies Librarian Hiroyuki Good to learn more about the exhibit Chūshingura: Musha-e and Kabuki-e! The exhibit explores the Akō Incident (1701–1703), in which 47 rōnin avenged their lord Asano Takumi no Kami after he was forced to commit seppuku for attacking Kira Kōzukenosuke in Edo Castle. This famous revenge story inspired the 1748 Kabuki play Kanadehon Chūshingura, which became one of Japan’s most enduring theatrical works. Featuring musha-e (warrior prints) of the 47 rōnin from the Barry Rosensteel Japanese Print Collection and a complete set of kabuki-e from the Japanese Theater Print Collection, the exhibit highlights the lasting cultural impact of Chūshingura in print and performance.
Each warrior print in this exhibition is accompanied by an introductory text about the individual depicted. Hiro has worked to transcribe and translate these cursive scripts using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, and the results of this effort will also be presented.
All prints are part of the Archives & Special Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System.
The talk runs from 11:00 to 11:30 in Hillman Library's The Hyland Gallery Archives & Special Collections Exhibits on the third floor (map).
