Actor triptychs

1839

Diptych title: 濃楓色三股 こいもみじいろのみつまた

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Ashikaga Yorikane (足利よりかね) with musicians 常磐津 小文字太夫 II and 常磐津 組太夫

Right sheet: Onoe Eizaburô III as the courtesan Takao (けいせい高尾) with musicians 佐々木 市太郎 and 佐々木 八五郎

Play: Date kurabe wakayagi Soga (伊達競陽向曽我)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 1^st month of 1839

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

Triptych title: Kichirei no taimen (吉例の対面), another name for the play, Soga no taimen on center sheet and Shoshun kichirei no taimen (初春吉例の対面) on right and left sheets

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Soga Gorô Tokimune (五郎時宗, left), Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Kudô Saemon (工藤左衛門祐経, center), and Iwai Tojaku I as Maidzuru (まいづる, right)

Play: Soga no taimen (The Felicitous Soga Encounter, 曽我の対面)

Date: 1^st month of 1839

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publishers’ seals: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô (seal ニ, 川長) on center and right sheets, Fushimi-ya Zenroku (seal 伏) on left sheet

NOTE: This triptych is listed on the website of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum at Waseda University as being from the play Musubi dai Soga to karigane (結題曽我雁), performed in the 1^st month of 1835. The seals of two different publishers and two different titles make the assignation of this triptych unclear and raise the possibility that the sheets are from different triptychs.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Kudô Saemon Suketsune (工藤左衛門祐経)

Play: Soga no taimen (The Felicitous Soga Encounter, 曽我の対面)

Date: 1^st month of 1839

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô (seal name 川正)

I am grateful to Sergey Tolstoguzov for this image.

Actors: Arashi Kamenojô (嵐 亀之丞) as Maidzuru (まいづる, left) and Sawamura Tosshô I as Soga Gorô Tokimune (五郎時宗, right)

Play: Soga no taimen (The Felicitous Soga Encounter, 曽我の対面)

Date: 1^st month of 1839

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

NOTE: The large objects are kadomatsu, traditional Japanese decorations made for the new year. Kadomatsu were often made with pine wood, but these days bamboo is more common.

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as farmer (hyakushô) Isaku (百性一作, left) and Arashi Rikan II as Takechi Mitsuhide (武智光秀, right)

Play: Gosho ôgi masago no shiranami (館扇面真砂白浪)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 2^nd month of 1839

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Jûzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as nyôbô Otoha (女房 おとは, left), Arashi Rikan II as Iwakawa (岩川, center), and Ichikawa Kuzô II as Tetsugatake (鉄ヶ嶽, right)

Play: Haruzu môhi iki no koa bure (春相撲御摂顔触)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 2^nd month of 1839

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Izayoi (十六夜, left) and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Inada Kozo (稲田幸蔵, right)

Play: Iwai uta Soga no kaomise (岩井歌曽我対面)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 2^nd month of 1839

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Another state with a solid yellow cartouche

Actors from left: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Tanzen (丹前) and the Heron Maiden (鷺娘)

Nakamura Utaemon IV as Sukeroku (助六) and his wife (旁妻)

Nakamura Utaemon IV as a boatman (船乗) and the Celestial Maiden (天女)

Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ameuri no Sekishô (飴売の夕照) and in an unidentified role

Play: Hanagoyomi iro no showake (花翫暦色所八景)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 3^rd month of 1839

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these prints from other states.

Actors: Sawamura Tossho I as Kinshojô (錦祥女, left), Ichikawa Danzô V as Gojogun Kanki (甘輝, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Watonai sankan (和藤内, right)

Play: Kokusenya kassen (国姓爺合戦, The Battle of Coxinga)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1839

Publisher: Ise-ya Sanjirô

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Magaki (まがき, left), Sawamura Tosshô I as yakko Tsumahira (妻平, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Dankurô (団九郎, right)

Play: Toki nisa iwai sakura no irodoki (則幸桜色薗)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 3^rd month of 1839

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as wife Sekijo (女房関女, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as Gotobei (五斗兵衛, center), and Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Senzaburô (泉三郎, right)

Play: Yoshitsune Koshigoe-jô (義経腰越状, Yoshitsune’s Letter from Koshigoe)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 4^th month of 1839

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

Actors: Ichikawa Komazô V as Issun Tokubei (一寸徳兵衛, left), Ichikawa Yaozô V as Tsurifune (つりふねの三婦, center), and Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Danshichi Kurobei (団七 九郎兵衛, right)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Issun Tokubei (一寸徳兵衛, left), Onoe Eizaburô III as Danshichi nyobo Okaji (女房おかぢ, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Danshichi Kurobei (団七, right)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

NOTE: The screen painting is signed by Kuniyoshi’s student Ikkosai Yoshitora (一猛斎芳虎画), who is better known as Utagawa Yoshitora. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Issun Tokubei (一寸徳兵衛, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Danshichi Kurobei (団七九郎兵衛, center), and Onoe Eizaburô III as Okaji (おかぢ, right)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Two different states of Ichikawa Ebizô V as Danshichi Kurobei (団七 九郎兵衛)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Danshichi nyobo Okaji (おかぢ, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Danshichi Kurobei (団七 九郎兵衛, center), and Kataoke Ichizô I as Mikawaya Giheiji (義平次, right)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Kataoke Ichizô I as Mikawaya Giheiji (義平次, left) and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Danshichi Kurôbei (団七 九郎兵衛, right)

Play: Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami (夏祭浪花鑑)

Date: 5^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

NOTE: This diptych was actually designed by Toyokuni II (Toyoshige) for the 1831 production of the same play:

The actors’ faces, the actors’ names, and the artist’s signature were recut. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this information.

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Shinshichi (新七, left) and Iwai Shijaku I as the geisha Osame (げいしゃおさわ, right)

Play: Chûkô gishi no Yurai (忠孝義士由良意)

Date: 7^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

NOTE: This play is a different version of Chûshingura story.

Actors: Left sheet: Ichikawa Yaozô IV as Momonoi Wakasanosuke (若狭之助) and Iwai Shijaku I as Lady Kaoyo (かほよ御ぜん)

Center sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Kôu no Moronao (師直)

Right sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as En’ya Hangan (塩谷判官)

Play: Chûkô gishi no Yurai (忠孝義士由良意)

Date: 7^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

NOTE: Scene is like the first act of Kanadehon Chûshingura

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this state without any purple.

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Hakata Shinshichi (博多新七) and Ichikawa Yaozô V as gyôji (merchant boss) Shôzaburô (行司庄三郎)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Nagatoya Kohee (長門屋小兵衛) and Bandô Sajûrô as Fukushimaya Sahei (福嶋や佐兵衛)

Right sheet: Seki Kasuke as Moriyama Gunbei (森山郡兵衛) and Iwai Shijaku I as the geisha Osame (芸者 おさめ)

Play: Daishigawara Rishô no Tsumagushi (大師河原利棲櫛)

Date: 7^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design.

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Onoenosuke (尾上之助)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Kuzô II as shimobe (retainer) Hatsuhei (下部初平)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Iwafuji Saemon (岩藤左衛門)

Play: Sono mukashi koi no edozome (其往古恋江戸染)

Date: 7^th month of 1839

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

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

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Katsugorô (勝五郎, left) and Arashi Kishisaburô III as Takiguchi Ueno (滝口上野, right)

Play: Hakonegon genrei genki (箱根権現霊験記)

Date: 8^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Daikoku-ya Heikichi

NOTE: The right-hand sheet was recut from woodblocks illustrating the play Kuruwa kuruwa date no ôyose. The face and text were altered from the original published in the 2^nd month of 1836.

Two additional states of a sheet from the above diptych

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Yodohira (よど平, left), Iwai Shijaku I as Gion no Okaji (ぎをんのお梶, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as the ghost Seigen (清玄, right)

Play: Sekai wa Yoshida Sato no inazuma (世吉田花街稲妻)

Date: 9^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Another state of the above design.

Woodblocks from the preceding triptych were repurposed to create this print of the actor Iwai Tojaku (岩井杜若), possibly in the role of Miyagino no Onobu (みやぎ之のお之ぶ), but the reading is uncertain.

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Monogusa Taro (物草太郎)

Right sheet: From Kansai (下り) Nakamura Kaharu as Sanza’s wife (nyôbô) Katsuragi (山三女房 かつらき) and Asao Okuyama IV as Hasebe Unkoku (長谷部雲谷)

Play: Sekai wa Yoshida Sato no inazuma (世吉田花街稲妻)

Date: 9^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

NOTE: The screen is signed “一英斎芳艶画” by Kuniyoshi’s student Yoshitsuya.

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this simplified state.

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Okuni Gozen (御国御前, left) and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Fuwa Banzaemon (不破伴左衛門, right)

Play: Sekai wa Yoshida Sato no inazuma (世吉田花街稲妻)

Date: 9^th month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Another state of the above diptych

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