Actor triptychs

1838

Actors: Left sheet: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Ashikaga Yorikane and Bandô Tamasaburô I as the ghost

Center sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Kinugawa Tanizô

Right sheet: Iwai Tojaku I as either Kasane or Masaoka

Play: Date kurabe zensei Soga (伊達競全盛曽我)

Date: 1^st month of 1838

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Fushimi-ya Zenroku

NOTE: The actor Bandô Shûka I held the name of Bandô Tamasaburô I from the 11^th month of 1824 to the 10^th month of 1839.

Actors: Two different states of Bandô Tamasaburô I as the ghost

Play: Date kurabe zensei Soga (伊達競全盛曽我)

Date: 1^st month of 1838

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: No seal

NOTE: This print is signed Chô-ô-rô Kuniyoshi ga (朝櫻楼 国芳 画) instead of the artist’s more common signature, Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga (一勇斎 国芳 画).

Actors: Iwai Tojaku I as Kasane (かさね)

Play: Date kurabe zensei Soga (伊達競全盛曽我)

Date: 1^st month of 1838

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Matsuô (松王, left), Iwai Shijaku I as Chiyo (千代, center), and Seki Sanjûrô II as Genzou (源蔵, right)

Play: Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (菅原伝授手習鑑)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

NOTE: The left sheet reuses woodblocks from the 1935 production of the same play with Matsumoto Kôshirô V as Matsuô:

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Sakuramaru (桜丸, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Matsuômaru (松王丸, center), and Ichikawa Komazô V as Umeômaru (梅王丸, right)

Play: Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (菅原伝授手習鑑)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for identifying this image.

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV who just returned to Edo as Ishikawa Goemon (石川五右衛門, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Yatahei jitsuwa who is actually Junkikan (矢田平実ハ順喜かん, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ôinosuke jitsuwa who is actually [Goemon’s father] Sô Sokei (大炊之助実ハそふそけい, right)

Play: Sanmon hitome Senbon (楼門詠千本)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ishikawa Goemon (left) and Onoe Kikugorô III as Yatahei (八田平, right)

Play: Sanmon hitome Senbon (楼門詠千本)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

I am grateful to Dominique Vasseur for this image.

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Ôinosuke’s wife (nyôbô) Kuretake (大炊之助女房くれ竹, left), just returned from Kansai Nakamura Utaemon IV as Konomura Ôinosuke (此村大炊之助, center), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Hanegawa Takakage (高景, right)

Play: Sanmon hitome Senbon (楼門詠千本)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Hisayoshi’s disreputable son Hisatsugu (久次, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ichikawa Goemon (石川五右衛門, center), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Hisayoshi (久よし, right)

Play: Sanmon hitome Senbon (楼門詠千本)

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

I am grateful to and Lucienne Parkan and Robert Pryor for this image and information.

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as the servant Matasuke (畑助, left with the severed head of Taga’s wife Ume no Kata who was mistakenly killed by Matasuke) and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Lord Taga Tairyo (多賀大炊, right)

Play: Yanagi Sakura Iroe no Kagabone (柳桜彩絵加賀骨)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

I am grateful to Jerry Vegder for information about this diptych.

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state with solid orange cartouches.

Another state with a black flame eminating from the severed head

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Motome (もとめ, left), Sawamura Tosshô I as Hatasuke (畑助, center), and Ichikawa Kuzô II as Mochizuki Tatewaki (もち月たてわき, right)

Play: Yanagi Sakura Iroe no Kagabone (柳桜彩絵加賀骨)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 3^rd month of 1838

Publisher: Daikoku-ya Heikichi

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Banzui Chobei (幡隨長兵衛, left) and Iwai Tojaku I as Shirai Gonpachi (白井権八, right)

Play: Go hiiki Tamuke no Hanakawado (御摂手向花川戸)

Date: 8^th month of 1838

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

NOTE: Go hiiki Tamuke no Hanakawado was a short piece performed along with Koi no Nada Nebiki no Tomozuna.

Sheets from two other states of the above design. The text has been changed from 幡隨長兵衛, 市川海老蔵 (Banzui Chobei, Ichikawa Ebizô) to 幡隨長兵衛, 坂東三津五郎 (Banzui Chobei, Bandô Mitsugorô). The sheet on the left bears the seal of the publisher Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô and the sheet on the right has no publisher’s seal. The paper lanterns are different in all three states.

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Benkei (弁けい, left) and Onoe Kikugorô III as Ushiwakamaru (牛若, right)

Play: Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki (鬼一法眼三略巻)

Date: 9^th month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

NOTE: Onoe Kikugorô III broke a bone during this production and Bandô Hikosaburô IV stepped in as substitute. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Onoe Baiko III in two roles–Yoshibei’s wife (nyôbo) Koume (由兵衛女房小梅, standing) and younger brother Chôkichi (otôto Chôkichi futayaku, 弟長吉二役)

Right sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ume no Yoshibei (梅のよし兵衛)

Play: Nyôbô zaka rinaka mo Yoshibee

Date: 9^th month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information.

Actors: Onoe Kikugorô III as Yakuômaru (薬王丸, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Mokushirô Azuma (東杢四郎, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Hokkeyama no Kesatarô (法華山の 袈裟太郎, right)

Play: Isse Ichidai Kuriki no Myônoji (一世一代功力妙法字)

Date: 11^th month of 1838

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image, which was recut as warrior triptych T75.

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