Actor triptychs

1848, Part IV

Actors: Left sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Kôemon’s wife Otoki (幸右衛門 女房 お時) and Ôtani Tomoemon IV as Adachi Motoemon (安達元右衛門, standing)

Center sheet: Matsumoto Kinshô I as Kyo-ya Mansuke (京屋万助) and Ichikawa Shinsha I as nyôbo Otoku (女房 お徳, standing)

Right sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Ningyo-ya Koemon (人形屋幸右衛門) and Asao Tamejûrô IV as Tedai Kyûshichi (手代久七)

Play: Oto niki kuten gachi yayamura (音聞殿下茶店聚, Teahouse under the Shimo Tea Shop)

Date: 4^th month of 1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ogawa (or Kokawa) Hansuke

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Ôtani Hiroemon V as Yakko Udesuke (奴 腕助) and Ôtani Tomoemon IV as Adachi Motoemon (安達元右衛門)

Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Hayase Iori (早瀬 伊織)

Right sheet: Matsumoto Kinshô I as Tôma Saburôemon (当麻 三郎右門)

Play: Oto niki kuten gachi yayamura (音聞殿下茶店聚, Teahouse under the Shimo Tea Shop)

Date: 4^th month of 1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Hayase Iori (早瀬伊織) and Bandô Takesaburô I as Hayase Genjirô (早瀬源次郎)

Right sheet:

Play: Oto niki kuten gachi yayamura (音聞殿下茶店聚, Teahouse under the Shimo Tea Shop)

Date: 4^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Hayase Iori (早瀬伊織)

Play: Oto niki kuten gachi yayamura (音聞殿下茶店聚, Teahouse under the Shimo Tea Shop)

Date: 4^th month of 1848

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Shimizu-ya Naojirô

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV, here called by his poetry name, Bandô Shinsui (坂東薪水), as Hayase Iori (早瀬伊織)

Play: Oto niki kuten gachi yayamura (音聞殿下茶店聚, Teahouse under the Shimo Tea Shop)

Date: 4^th month of 1848

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: No seal

NOTE: The square seal on this unsigned print may read “Ichiyusai” in seal script.

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Yajima Saibei (矢嶋才兵衛, left), Onoe Kikujirô II as Tanbaya Otsuma (丹波屋おつま, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as the second-hand dealer (furodeya) Hachirobei (古手屋八郎兵衛, right)

Play: Adanaen Ukina no Koiguchi (仇縁浮名棒)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Wakasa-ya Uhei

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Takechi Jûbei Mitsuhide (武智十兵衛光秀) and Bandô Shûka I as Jujiro’s wife, Hatsugiku (Jûjirô gogen Hatsugiku, 十次郎言号初菊)

Play: Go hiiki Hisago no sashimono (御贔屓瓢簪)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher:

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this hanshita-e (final drawing).

Actors: Asao Gakujûrô I as Hisayoshi’s disreputable son Mashiba Hisatsugu (真柴久次)

Play: Go hiiki Hisago no sashimono (御贔屓瓢簪)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: No seal

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this hanshita-e (final drawing).

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Kimon no Kihei (鬼門の喜兵衛, left) and Bandô Shuka I as Hisamatsu (久松, right)

Play: Osome Hisamatsu ukina Yomiuri (お染久松色読販, The Scandalous Love of Osome and Hisamatsu)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

Actors: Left sheet: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Ihazaki no Kyûsaku (いほざきの久作) and Matsumoto Kojirô as Yoshimitsu (四ツ松の亀)

Right Sheet: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Dote no Oroku (土手のお六) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Kimon no Kihei (鬼門の喜兵衛)

Play: Osome Hisamatsu ukina Yomiuri (お染久松色読販, The Scandalous Love of Osome and Hisamatsu)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

Actors: Bandô Shuka I as the apprentice (detsuchi) Hisamatsu (でつち 久松, left and an actor as the daughter Osome (娘 おそめ, right)

Play: Osome Hisamatsu ukina Yomiuri (お染久松色読販, The Scandalous Love of Osome and Hisamatsu)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô

I am grateful to Ryan Pierce for this image.

Actors: Bandô Shûka I as Ichihachi’s wife (tsuma) Oshima (市八妻 おしま, left) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Horikoshiya Ichihachi (堀越屋市八, right)

Play: Shinjû nise murasaki (心中二世紫)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

NOTE: Shinjû (心中) translates as lovers’ double suicide. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as the ferryman Tonbei (矢口の 渡し守 頓兵衛, left) and Onoe Kikujirô II as Tonbei’s daughter Ofune (頓兵衛 娘 おふね, right)

Play: Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi (神霊矢口渡)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Shimizu-ya Naojirô

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

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as the ferryman Tonbei (矢口の 渡 し守頓兵衛, left), Onoe Kikujirô II as Tonbei’s daughter Ofune (頓兵衛 娘 於ふね, center), and Seki Sanjûrô III as the boatman Rokuzô (船頭 六蔵, right)

Play: Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi (神霊矢口渡)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

Actor: Onoe Kikujirô II as tsuma Minato (Minato’s wife, left) and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Yura Hyogonosuke (由良兵庫之助) holding a war fan

Play: Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi (神霊矢口渡)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Shimizu-ya Naojirô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

A simplified state without clouds

Actors: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Murasaki the court official (むらさき 式部), Nakamura Utaemon IV making the introduction, Iwai Kumesaburô III as Hanakuruma (花車), Iwai Kumesaburô III as Ryoshi (漁師), and Iwai Kumesaburô III as Tenaraiko (手習子)

Play: Tamukegusa yukari no shikizaki (手向杜若四季咲)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

NOTE: The program, starring Iwai Kumesaburo III, was a memorial for the first anniversary of the death of Iwai Tojaku who had held the Hanshirô name for 28 years and who had also been the first to take the Kumesaburô name. Tamukegusa yukari no shikizaki (手向杜若四季咲) translates to something like “Memorial offerings of the purple flower that blooms through 4 seasons”. The heart of the program were four scenes representing each of the seasons and including two of the most famous dances associated with the Hanshirô line, Hanaguruma (The Flower Cart), and Tenaraiko (The Schoolgirl/Calligraphy Student).

Actors: Left sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Hanakuruma (花車)

Center sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Murasaki the court official (紫式部) and Iwai Kumesaburô III as Ryôshi (漁師)

Right sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Tenaraiko (手習子)

Play: Tamukegusa yukari no shikizaki (手向杜若四季咲)

Date: 5^th month of 1848

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô

NOTE: The four roles in this triptych are likened to the four seasons: Tenarishi-spring (春, haru), Ryôshi-summer (夏, natsu), Murasaki-autum (秋, aki), and Hanakuruma-winter (冬, fuyu)

Title of triptych: Spring Tenarishi, summer Ryôshi, autumn Murasaki, winter Hanakuruma (春 手習子 夏 りやうし 秋 紫式部 冬 花車)

Actors: Left sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Tenaraiko (手習子)

Center sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Murasaki the court official (紫式部) and Iwai Kumesaburô III as Ryôshi

Right sheet: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Hanakuruma

Play: Tamukegusa yukari no shikizaki (手向杜若四季咲)

Date: 5^th month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ningyô-ya

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

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