Actor triptychs

1832, Part II

Actors: Onoe Kikugorô III as Konjin Chôgorô (九もんりやうの長五郎, left) and Sawamura Tosshô I as Ashikaga Yorikane (よりかね, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Kataoka Ichizô I as the Kinugawa Tanizô (谷蔵, left) and Sawamura Tosshô I as Ashikaga Yorikane (よりかね, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

NOTE: The text on the signs is an advertisement for cosmetics–specifically Senjoka (仙女 香) white face powder and Migenka (美 玄 香) black hair dye, both manufactured by the Sakamoto family (坂本氏). I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan and Horst Graebner for this information.

Iam grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state without any light blue.

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Ohana (永楽や娘おはな, left) and Onoe Tamizô II as Nitta Umejirô (新田梅次郎, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Iam grateful to Robert Pryor for this simplified printing.

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Ohana (お花, left) and Onoe Kikugorô III as Seigen (清玄, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Yamashiro-ya Sahei

Actors: Onoe Eisaburô III as princess Kozakura (小桜姫, left), Sawamura Tosshô I as Tofufuya Sanfu (とふふや三ふ, center), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Seigen (清玄, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿國劇場)

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Theater: Kawasaki

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Onoe Eisaburô III as princess Kozakura (小桜姫)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿國劇場)

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Theater: Kawasaki

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Taylor McNeil for this image.

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as Ohatsu (おはつ, left) and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as tsubone Iwafuji (岩藤, right)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

NOTE: This diptych is signed “Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga” (一勇斎 国芳 画). It is an altered version of a diptych for the 1831 production of Botan ni chô hatsu ga fumibako (牡丹蝶初筐). The 1831 diptych has different actorsʼ names and is signed “Gototei Kunisada ga” (五渡亭 国貞 画):

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as Ohatsu (left) and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as tsubone Iwafuji (right)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as tsubone Iwafuji (つぼね岩ふじ)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as Ohatsu (おはつ)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Ômi-ya Heihachi

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for identifying this image.

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as Ohatsu (おはつ)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Shin'ise-ya Kohei

NOTE: The website of Waseda University gives this print a date of 1825, without a month or play title. However, Publishers of Japanese Woodblock Prints: A Compendium by Andreas Marks (2011, Hotei Publishing, Leiden) gives dates for the publisher of c. 1828-1833. I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for locating this image.

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as Ohatsu (おはつ)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

NOTE: This print shows two kurogo (stagehands in black who are supposed to be invisible).

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as meshitsukai Ohatsu (召つかひお初, left) and Nakamura Karoku I as churo Onoe (中老おのへ, right)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Daikoku-ya

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Nakamura Karoku I as churo Onoe (中老おのへ)

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Probably Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Seki Sanjûrô II as 半沢主殿

Play: Sakura doki onna gyoretsu (桜時女行列)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Left sheet: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Hanakawado no Sukeroku (揚巻ノ助六 團十郎改) with Bandô Mitsutaemon I as Asagao Sempei behind him

Center sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô II as the courtesan Agemaki (けいせい揚巻)

Right sheet: Matsumoto Koshirô V as Hige no Ikyu (髭ノ意久)

Play: Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura (助六所縁江戸桜, Sukeroku, Flower of Edo)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Ota-ya Sakichi

NOTE: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII had just changed his name to Ichikawa Ebizô V, and then changed his name back the same month.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Hanakawado no Sukeroku (助六, left) and Iwai Hanshirô V as Agemaki (揚まき, right)

Play: Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura (助六所縁江戸桜, Sukeroku, Flower of Edo)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Soga Gorô is disguised as a medicine vendor (うゐろふうりとらや藤吉)

Play: Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura (助六所縁江戸桜, Sukeroku, Flower of Edo)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Daikoku-ya

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Yoshida no Matsuwaka (松若, left), Iwai Hanshirô V as the nun Seigen (清玄尼, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Sarushima Sota (惣太, right)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Matsuwaka (松若, left), Iwai Hanshirô V as Seigen (清玄, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Shinobu no Sôta (しのぶの惣太, right)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Matsuwaka (松若, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Shinobu no Sôta (忍ぶの惣太, center), and Iwai Hanshirô V as Seigen (清玄, right)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Daikoku-ya

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Sarushima Sota (惣太, left) and Iwai Hanshirô V as Seigen (清玄, right)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

Actors: Iwai Kumesaburô II as Ohatsu (おはつ, left) and Ichikawa Ebizô VI as Iwafuji (局岩藤, right)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Iwai Hanshirô V as the nun Seigen (清玄尼)

Play: Sumidagawa hana no gosho zome (隅田川花御所染)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV (left) and Nakamura Shikan II (right) both as servants (yakko, 奴)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV and Nakamura Shikan II, both as servants (yakko, 奴)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichibei

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Shikan II as Shingobei (新吾兵衛)

Center sheet: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as an evil influence (大切所作事悪玉)

Right sheet: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as a good (善) influence (大切所作事)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as yakko Mihei (奴三平, left) and Nakamura Shikan II as yakko Shihei (奴芝平, right)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

NOTE: This diptych demonstrates the practice of naming yakko (male servants, 奴) in kabuki productions with the first kanji of the actorʼs given name followed by “heiˮ (平). I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image and to Lucienne Parkan and Horst Graebner for information about the diptych.

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II as yakko Shihei (奴芝平, left) and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as yakko Mitsuhei (奴三津平, right)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Daikoku-ya

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan and Horst Graebner for information about this diptych.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Empress Jingû (神后皇后, left) and Nakamura Shikan II as Takeuchi (武内, right)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Ise-ya Rihei

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as the empress Jingûkôgô (神功皇后) and Nakamura Shikan II as Takeuchi-no-Sukune (武内宿祢)

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Hanafusa Taro (花房太郎, left) and Nakamura Shikan II as Fuki Saburô (冨貴三郎, right) performing the lion dance

Play: Yayoi no hana Asakusa matsuri (弥生の花浅草祭)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchiya Shôzô

NOTE: Japan has a long tradition of the lion dance, which is known as shishi-mai (獅子舞) in Japanese. It is performed in Shinto festivals and for various holidays. Forms of the lion dance are also found in noh, kabuki and bunraku (puppet) plays.

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