Actor triptychs

1849, Part II

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Nikki Danjô Naonori (left, 仁木弾正直則) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Arajishi Otokonosuke (right, 荒獅子男之助)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場 or 伊達競阿国歌舞妓)

Date: 2^nd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarazaki

Publisher: Horimasa

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Nikki Danjô (仁木弾正, left), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Arajishi Otokonosuke (荒獅子男之助, center), and Onoe Kikujirô II as tsubone Masaoka (乳母政岡, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場 or 伊達競阿国歌舞妓)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarazaki

Publisher: Koga-ya Katsugorô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design with all three faces recarved for the production of Date zensei sakura no iromaku the following month.

Actors: Left sheet: Ichikawa Yonehei I as Chadô Chôsai (茶道蝶斎)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Ashikaga Yorikane (よりかね, male) and Onoe Kikujirô II as the courtesan Miuraya Takao (高尾)

Right sheet: Otani Tomomatsu I as 三浦屋倅友吉

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

Actors: Left sheet: Ichikawa Shinsha I as Ukyo tsuma Okino (沖の井)

Center sheet: Wonkichi (音吉) as Tsuruchiyo (鶴きよ), Onoe Kikujirô II as nurse Masaoka (政岡), Saizarô or Saizorô (才三郎) as Senmatsu (千松)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as tsubone Yashio (八汐)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kinkadô Konishi

Actors: Wonkichi (音吉) as Tsuruchiyo (つる喜代君, right), Saizarô or Saizorô (才三郎, right) as Senmatsu (音吉 千松, center), and Onoe Kikujirô II as nurse Masaoka (才三郎 政岡, left)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: No seal

NOTE: The print on the right was probably published at a later date for a different production.

Actors: Left sheet: Onoe Kikujirô II as nurse Masaoka (政岡)

Right sheet: Saizarô or Saizorô (才三郎, right) as Senmatsu (千松, in black) reaching a box of poisoned sweets, and Wonkichi (音吉) as Tsuruchiyo (つる喜代君, upper right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kiyoimizu-ya Naojirô

Actors: Left sheet: Onoe Kikujirô II as nurse Masaoka (政岡) and Wonkichi (音吉) as Tsuruchiyo (つる喜代, child)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Yashio (八汐) stabbing young Saizarô or Saizorô (才三郎) as Senmatsu (千松)

Right sheet: Unidentified actor as disapproving matron

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kobayashi Taijirô

NOTE: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki is based on the disputed succession of the Date Clan. The loyal nursemaid Masaoka has been charged with protecting young Tsuruchiyo, the heir to the clan, who is in danger of being poisoned. Masaoka has kept him in private quarters, asking her own son, Senmatsu, to taste his food. When Senmatsu becomes ill after eating poisoned sweets offered by Yashio, she stabs him to hide her plot, claiming he must pay for his rude behavior. At left, the stoic Masaoka must watch as her own son is murdered, shielding the young nobleman behind her arm.

Actors: Onoe Kikujirô II as Kasane (かさね, left) and Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Kikugawa Yoemon (木下川与右衛門, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kiyoimizu-ya Naojirô

Actors: Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Nikki [Danjô] Naonori (仁木直則, left), Bandô Takesaburô I as Izutsu Menosuke (井筒女之助, center), and Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Hosogawa Katsumoto (細川勝元, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kazusa-ya Iwazô

NOTE: This triptych was originally created for the performance of Sendai-gashi Iro no Funakomi in the 5^th month of 1847. The seals of the censors, Muramatsu and Yoshimura, are appropriate for 1847, but not for 1849. The most obvious alteration is the face of the actor on the right.

Actors: Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII in three different roles: Nikki Naonori (仁木直則, left), Arajishi Otokonosuke in aragoto make-up (荒獅子男之助, center), and Hosogawa Katsumoto (細川勝元, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kazusa-ya Iwazô

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for these two sheets from another state of the above triptych

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as the magician Nikki Danjô (仁木弾正, left) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII also as Otokonosuke (right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô

NOTE: There may be a third sheet showing the giant rat into which Nikki Danjô transforms himself

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as the magician Nikki Danjô Naonori (仁木弾正直則, left) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII also as “Wild Lion” Otokonosuke (荒獅々男之助, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

Actors: Onoe Kikujirô II as the courtesan Miuraya Takao (高尾, left) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as [Ashikaga] Sakingo Yorikane (左金吾頼兼, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Ashikaga Yorikane (よりかね, left) and Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII also as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: No seal

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Ashikaga Yorikane (頼兼, left), Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII also as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵, center), and Onoe Kikujirô II as Takao (高尾, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as the tôfu seller Tôfuya no Mibu (とうふや三ぶ)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Mameta (まめ太) and Onoe Kikujirô II as Kasane (かさね)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Ashikaga (足利頼兼)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Mikawa-ya Rihei

NOTE: The left-hand sheet, which has no publisher’s seal, is the same as in the following triptych.

Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as the tôfu seller Tôfuya no Mibu (とうふや三ぶ)

Center sheet: Onoe Kikujirô II as Kasane (かさね) and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Mameta (まめ太)

Right sheet: Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Shimizu with seal reading “Shimizu han” (清水板)

Actors: Left sheet: Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵)

Right sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Tofuya no Mibu (とうふや三ぶ, male role) and Onoe Kikujirô II as Kasane (female role)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kiyoimizu-ya Naojirô

Actors: Onoe Kikujirô II as Kasane (かさね, left) and Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Wakasa-ya Yoichi

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as [Ashikaga] Sakingo Yorikane (左金吾頼兼, left), Onoe Kikujirô II as the courtesan Miuraya Takao (高尾, center), and Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Hayashi-ya Shôgorô

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

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII in eight different roles

Roles: Left sheet clockwise from top right: Ashikaga Yorikane (with fan), Musashi-bô Benkei, Kinugawa Tanizô, and Hosokawa Katsumoto

Right sheet clockwise from top left: Dote Dôtetsu, Lady Yoshio, Arajishi Otokonosuke (in aragoto make-up), and Nikki Danjô. Benkei is from Kanjinchô, and all the other roles are from Date kurabe Okuni kabuki

Plays: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (Disfigured Kasane) and Kanjinchô (The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Both plays at the Kawarasaki

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

NOTE: The figure in the left lower corner is wearing a stage costume with a design of a sickle (kama), a circle (wa), and the hiragana character for nu (ぬ), spelling kamawanu (I don’t give a damn), a term made popular by Ichikawa Danjûrô VII.

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

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Nikki Bennosuke (仁木 弁之助, left) and Bandô Hikosaburô IV as the ghost of the Minister of the Left, Michihira (左大臣道平の霊, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Horimasa

NOTE: The Minister of the Left (sadaijin, 左大臣) was a high government official during the late Nara and Heian periods

A greatly simplified state of the above design

Actors: Left sheet: Otani Tomomatsu I as Yakko Tohara (奴戸平), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Takarai Kikaku who is in reality Dote Dôtetsu (宝井其角 実ハ道鉄), and Ichikawa Yonehei I as Chadô Chôsai (茶道蝶斎)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Ashikaga Yorikane (左金吾頼兼) and Onoe Kikujirô II as Takao (高尾, female role)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

Actors: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi no Saemon (right), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (center) and Bandô Takesaburô I as Yoshitsune (left)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

NOTE: This triptych is an altered reissued of a triptych from for the production of Kanjinchô in the 3^rd month of 1840. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto no Yoshitsune (left), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (center), and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi Saemon (right)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Shibajaku I as Kame-i Rakurô (亀井六郎) and Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto Yoshitsune (源義経) disguised as a servant

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) reading the subscription list

Right sheet: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経)

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (武藏坊辨慶)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Hayashi-ya Shôgorô

Actors: Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto Yoshitsune crouching in the guise of servant (left), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶, center), and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi no Saemon (富樫の左衛門, right)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Mori-ya Jihei

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashi-bo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶, left) and Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto Ushiwakamaru (源牛若丸)

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳, The Subscription List)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Shimizu-ya Naojirô

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII Hosogawa Katsumoto (left), Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Izutsu Gekizemon (center) and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII (right) as Nikki Danjô Naonori (仁木弾正直則)

Play: Meiboku Sendai hagi (伽羅先代萩, Nikki Danjô and the Disputed Succession)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Enomoto Kichibei

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors: Left sheet: Kataoka Ichizô I as Akaimaru (赤井丸, male role)

Center sheet: Unidentified

Right sheet: Unidentified

Play: Shitennoji garan kagami (四天王寺伽藍鑑, The Monastic Mirror)

Date: 3^rd month of 1849

Theater: Naka (in Osaka)

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

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