Actor triptychs

1840, Part II

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Izutsuya Denbei (left), Onoe Eizaburô III as the geisha Oshiyun (center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Shirafuji Genta (right)

Play: Hanakawado migawari no dan (花川戸身替の段)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Publisher: Echizen-ya Heisaburô

Actors: Left sheet: Iwai Shijaku I as the wife (nyôbo) Oshizu (女房おしず)

Center sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Kobayakawa Dairiki (小早川帯力) and Ôtani Mansaku as Gannin Tetsuhachi (願人鉄八)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as the fisherman (ryôshi) Amiroku (りやうしあみ六)

Play: Iso chidori Naruto no adauchi (磯鵆成渡讐)

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Echizen-ya Heisaburô

NOTE: This triptych was actually designed by Kunisada in 1838 for the production of Koi no Nada Nebiki no Tomozuna (恋灘根曳纜), a similar play performed at the Ichimura Theater. In the original version, which bears Kunisada’s signature, the actors are Iwai Tojaku as the wife, who is called Otsuna (女房おつな) in this production, Sawamura Tosshô I as Kobayakawa Dairiki, Arashi Kanjûrô I as Gannin Tetsuhachi, and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Amiroku:

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese and Lucienne Parkan and for the above images and information.

Actors: Left sheet: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Ukishima Jinshichi (浮嶋甚七)

Center sheet: Iwai Shijaku I as O-Shidzu (おしづ) and Seki Sanjûrô III as Satsushima Denzô (薩嶋伝蔵)

Right sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Chihara Jûsan (千原十左衛門)

Play: Iso chidori Naruto no adauchi (磯鵆成渡讐)

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

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

Actors: Ichikawa Seijûrô I as Terukuni (判官てる国, left), Sawamura Tosshô I as Kan Shôjô (かんせうぜう, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Kakujiyu (かくじゆ, right)

Play: Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (菅原伝授手習鑑)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this sheet from an alternate state lacking a pattern on the bottom kimono.

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Sakuramaru and an unidentified actor of the Ichikawa line (in black)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Matsuomaru

Right sheet: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Umeomaru

Play: Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (菅原伝授手習鑑)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

Actors: Left sheet: Iwai Tojaku as Osode (お袖, kneeling), and Nakamura Daikichi (standing)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Shimobe Tomohei (下部友平) holding Ôtani Mansaku by the neck

Right sheet: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Sasaki (大谷万作, sitting and Onoe Kikushirô (standing)

Play: Tôkaidô furiwake sugoroku (東海道振分双六)

Theater: Karawazaki

Date: 9^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Kobunenori Mizaho no Take (小舟のりみざほの竹, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as the fireman who drew the lucky lot (鳶のものおみくじの吉, center), and Ichikawa Kuzô II as Obanaya’s daughter (musume) Oteru (尾花屋の娘分おその, right)

Play: Chinzei Hachiro Gôma no Kaburaya (鎮西八郎降魔鎬)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan, Horst Graebner, and Robert Pryor for information about this triptych.

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Saitô Gorô Kunitake (斎藤五郎国武, left), Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Shizunome Oyoshi, actually Genta Gihei (しづの女およし実ハ源太義平, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Tametomo (為朝, right)

Play: Chinzei Hachiro gôma no kaburaya (鎮西八郎降魔鎬)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

NOTE: The standing actor in the right-hand panel is in the dress of incantation.

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Hatchôtsubute no Kiheiji (八丁礫の鬼平次, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as 岩木三郎太夫広綱 (center), and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Akugenta Yoshihira (悪源太義平, right)

Play: Chinzei Hachiro gôma no kaburaya (鎮西八郎降魔鎬)

Theater: Ichimura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Kesa Gozen (げいしやおのゑ, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as 木場のはつ (center), and Sawamura Tosshô I as 岩本のおふじ (right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as the goddess of the Suô Shrine (諏訪命婦神, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as oni Kojima Yataro (鬼小嶋弥太郎, center), and Sawamura Tosshô I as Saito Tatsuoki (斎藤竜興, right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Another state

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as the Geisha Owaka who is actually Kesa Gozen (げいしやおわか 実ハけさ御ぜん, left), Sawamura Tosshô I as Kinokuniya Tsunagorô who is actually Watanabe Wataru (きの国や綱五郎 実ハ渡辺わたる, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as the raftsman Gorôta who is actually Endô Musha Moritô (いかだのり五郎太 実ハ遠藤武者盛遠, right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

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

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Kesa gozen (けさごぜん, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Musha Moritô (武者盛遠, center), and Sawamura Tosshô as Watanabe Wataru (right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

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

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Kesa gozen (けさ御ぜん, left) and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Endo Musha Morito (遠藤武者盛遠, right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Tsuru-ya Kiemon

The previous diptych was altered and republished by Hanatomo with the text identifying the actors and roles removed. The seals of the censors Fuku and Muramatsu date this diptych to 1849-1851. The actor in the female role is probably Iwai Kumesaburô III.

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Saito Tatsuoki (left), Iwai Shijaku I as the local girl (zaisho musume) Osono, actually (jitsu wa) the Goddess of the Suô Shrine (在所娘おその実ハ諏訪命婦神, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Kojima Yataro (鬼小島弥太郎, right)

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Tsuta-ya Kichizô

I am grateful to Andrea Casati for this alternate state of the above design.

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Jihizô (慈悲蔵)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Yokozô (横蔵) and Iwai Tojaku I as Kansukeʼs mother (haha) Fukayuki (勘介母深雪)

Right sheet: Iwai Shijaku I as Jihizô’s wife (nyôbô) Otane (慈悲蔵女房おたね)　

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Maru-ya Jimpachi

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese and Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Otane

Play: Kaeri bana yuki no Takeda (帰花雪武田)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Tsuta-ya Kichizô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Tsuruzô as Shizunome Omura (賎の女おむら, standing) and Seki Sanjûrô as Kameômaru (鏡とぎ安六実ハ亀王丸)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as 経政実ハしゆんくはんのぼうこん (ghost) and Onoe Eizaburô III as Chidori Hime (千鳥姫)

Right sheet: Nakayama Tomizô as Tsunemasa (経政 かほる改) and Arashi Kichisaburô III as Ariômaru (有王丸, standing)

Play: Tsumagasane, sugata no hana kurabe (嬲容顔花競)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan and Jerry Vegder for information about this triptych.

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this alternate state of the above design.

Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Mamushi no Jirokichi (真虫の次郎吉) and Nakamura Morigorô as Horiguchi Gunta (堀口ぐん太)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Shunkan’s ghost (しゆんくはんぼうこん) and Onoe Eizaburô III as Chidori no Mae (ちとりのまへ)

Right sheet: Nakamura Tsuruzô I as Tomazô (とま蔵) and Arashi Kichisaburô III Ariômaru (有王丸)

Play: Tsumagasane, sugata no hana kurabe (嬲容顔花競)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

I am grateful to Robert Prior for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Seki Sanjûrô III as Shirokuni (しろ国)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Princes Nowake (しゆんくわんぼうこん) and Onoe Kikugorô III as Matsuyo (まつよゐ)

Right sheet: Arashi Kichisaburô as Akugenta Yoshihira (悪源太義平)

Play: Yasa Heike Kabuki no Gunbai (優平家劇場軍配)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 11^th month of 1840

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô

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

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