Actors off stage,
Part I
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Kabuki actors were celebrities in 19th century Japan. In these prints, they are portrayed in off-stage activities. Onnagata (male actors who played female roles) are shown in female dress, and they often did wear female clothing off stage. Other prints of actors off stage may be found in Actors playing the game of ken. |
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Triptych title: Drunken
Frolic under the Moon (Tsuki no
Eishukyogi, 月の詠酒興戯) Actors: Left sheet:
Sawamura Sôjûrô V, Arashi Jitohachi
Center sheet: Right sheet: Date: 1850-1851
(censors Fuku and Muramatsu with shita-uri seal) Publisher: Enshû-ya Hikobei I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
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A later state of the above design published by Mori-ya Jihei in the 6th
month of 1857
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Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Shûka I, Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Hataya Shichiemon,
and Ichikawa Ebizô V in the painting as Fudô Myôô Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Ichikawa Saruzô I, and
Ichikawa Komazô VII Right sheet: Ichikawa Kuzô II, the child actor Ichikawa Akanbei, Ichikawa Kôzô, and
Ichikawa Mesuke (reading of given name, 眼助, uncertain) Description: Date: Late 1851
(censors Fuku and Muramatsu) Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô NOTE: This triptych depicts a recovery celebration
following Danjûrô’s illness of several months in mid-1851.
The wall portrait represents both Fudô Myôô and Shoki, protectors from epidemics, and also alludes to Danjûrô’s return performance in Genji Moyô furisada hinagata in the 9th month of 1851, where
one of his characters is saved by Fudô Myôô, the patron god of the Ichikawas
and the Naritaya acting guild. Amongst various other symbols, the three-tiered
sake cups before Danjûrô are marked kotobuki
(壽), meaning both congratulations
and long life. I
am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information. |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state of the above design |
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Triptych title: A Selection
of Spring Traffic (Tôsei haru ôrai, 當盛春往來) Actors: Left sheet: ? Center sheet: ? Right sheet: Otani Hiroemon V, Ichikawa
Kuzô II, an unidentified actor, Iwai Kumesaburô Date: 1846-1848 (censors
Muramatsu and Yoshimura) Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
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Title: Snow, Moon
and Flowers (月雪花之内, Getsusekka no uchi) Subtitle: Flowers (花, Hana) Actors: Date: 1846-1852 Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô |
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Triptych title: Old-fashioned
Portraits Depending on the Moon (Tsuki
no Yoru Mukashi Esugata, 月の影むかし絵姿) Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Hikosaburo IV, Bandô Shûka I, and Ichikawa
Danjûrô VIII Center sheet: Onoe Kikujirô II, Onoe Matsusuke Right sheet: Date: 1848-1849 Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
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Sheet from another state of the above triptych |
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Triptych title: Rice from a
Good Harvest (Honen no yone, 豊年の米) Illustrating
the Conduct of Success (Atari furumai no zu, 当振舞之図) Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Takesaburô I, Morita
Kanya XI, Ichikawa Hirogorô I, and Arashi Jitohachi Center sheet: Nakamura Aizô I, Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Nakamura Kamenojô I, Iwai Kumesaburô Right sheet: Ichimura Uzaemon XII, Onoe
Kikujirô II, and Ichikawa Kodanji
IV Date: 1851 Publisher: Iba-ya Kyûbei |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
with differences in the kimono in the center panel. |
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I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this
alternate state of the above design with a solid red title cartouche. |
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Title: Scene of the Eastern
Capital's Asakusa Temple Zuijin Gate (Tôto Asakusa Kinryûzan
Zuijinmon no keizu, 東都浅草金龍山随神門之景図) Description: Street scene
of off-stage actors in front of the Nanbaya (難波屋), a teahouse
bearing the name of a famous beauty often painted by Utamaro Actors: Left sheet:
Iwai Kumesaburô III (岩井粂三郎) and Ichikawa
Danjûrô VIII (市川団十郎) Center sheet: Bandô Hikosaburô
IV (坂東彦三郎) and Nakamura Utaemon IV (中村歌右衛門) Right sheet: Onoe Baikô IV (尾上梅幸) and Ichimura Uzaemon XII (市村羽左衛門) Date: 1847-1850 (censors
Mera and Murata) Publisher: Iseyo of Owarichô I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state with a different crest on the awning.
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Actors: Left sheet:
Ichikawa Shinsha I, Ichikawa Komazô
IV, Ichikawa Jejûrô IV, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV Center sheet: Right sheet: Date: 3rd
month of 1850 Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke |
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Triptych title: Ryôgoku Bridge Fireworks Entertainment in the Evening
Cool (Ryôgokubashi yûsuzu
hanabi kôkei, 両国夕涼花火ノ光景) Actors: Left
sheet: Ôtani Tomoemon IV,
Iwai Kumesaburô Center sheet: Arashi Kichisaburô
Right sheet: Nakamura
Kantarô, Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Ichikawa Komazô V, Bandô Shûka I, Arashi Jitohachi Description: Actors
enjoying fireworks at Date: 7th
month of 1854 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state with a solid green title cartouche. |
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Title: Picture of
the crowds visiting Rokuhara Kanzeon in the
precincts of Shiba Shinmeigu (芝神明宮境内にて六波羅観世音開帳参詣群衆の図) Description: Actors off
stage with beautiful women Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Mitsugorô IV and an
unidentified actor of the Bandô line Middle sheet: Morita Kanya, Bandô Minosuke (?) and Iwai Hanshirô
VI Right sheet: Arashi Kamenojô (?) and
Sawamura Tosshô I Date: 5th
month of 1835 Publisher: |
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Title: Boats for
Evening Cool between Bridge Piers (Hashima no suzumi bune) Description: Off stage
actor in a boat Actor: Date: c. 1842-1846
(censor Watanabe Shôemon) Publisher: Wakau |
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Triptych title: Cherry
Blossoms by Night in the Third Month (Yayoi
no yo-zakura, 弥生之夜桜) Actors: Bandô Shûka I (right), Ichikawa
Danjûrô VIII as Shirai Gonpachi (center), and Onoe
Baiko IV (left) Date: 1847-1850
(censors Mera and Murata) Publisher: Daikoku-ya Heikichi |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state with a solid red title cartouche. |
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Two sheets from another state of the above
triptych |
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Diptych title: Eight Brides for the Only Son (Hitori musuko ni yome hachinin, 独息子 [ひとりむすこ] に嫁八人 [よめはちにん]) Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII with his fans Date: 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura) Publisher: Enshû-ya Hokobei NOTE: The censors’ seals date this diptych to 1849,
and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII died in 1854, therefore this cannot be a memorial
print. |
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Actors: n Date: 1849-1850
(censors Fuku and Muramatsu) Publisher: Isechô (伊勢長) |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state without text |
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Title: Off-stage in the Home of Ebizô V Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V holding a scroll with Naritasan
(成田山) written on it
and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII on his knees holding a Shinto offering tray Date: c. 1846-1852 Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke NOTE: Actors from Edo often made pilgrimages to the Naritasan (成田山) Temple in
Narita, where they prayed for advancement in their careers. I am grateful to Marc DeVriese
for this image, and to Lucienne Parkan and Horst
Graebner for information about the print. |
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Actors: Left Sheet:
Nakamura Kantarô as provincial samurai (kunizamurai) Kandayu (国侍勘太夫), Sawamura Sojûrô V as Suzuki Mondo (鈴木主水), Nakamura Kanemon as farmer Kan'emon (百性勘右衛門), Arashi Jitohachi Center sheet: Bandô Shuka I as Hashimotoya Shiraito (橋本や白糸), Nakamura Kamenojô I as Ôta (橋本やおうた), and
unidentified actors as 若イ者善介, おだい and おつか Right sheet: Ôtani Tomoemon
IV as 筑波根山平, Onoe Kikujirô II as Mondo nyobo Oyasu (主水女房おやす), Bandô Matatarô as わか者又, and
unidentified actors as おかん, おさん, and わか者成 Play: Sumidagawa tsui no kagamon (隅田川対高賀紋) Date: 3rd
month of 1852 Theater: Nakamura Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei NOTE:
This triptych shows the actors from Sumidagawa
tsui no kagamon in a
teahouse or brothel. |
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Title: Picture of the Stone
Shrine Pilgrimage to Ôyama Temple in Sagami
Province (Sagami no kuni Ôyama-dera
sekison miya asayama zu, 相模国大山寺石尊宮朝山図) Description: Hataya Shichiemon I, Ichimura Uzaemon
XIII, Morita Kan'ya XI, Arashi Kangorô
I, Ichikawa Danjurô VIII, Bandô
Hikosaburô IV, Ichikawa Kogorô
I, Ichikawa Koraizo VII, Bandô
Mitsuemonka I, Arashi Kichisaburô
III, Kataoka Gadanji II, Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Arashi Otohachi
III, Nakayama Ichizô I, Bandô
Takesaburô I, Bandô Sajûrô I, Nakamura Tsuruzô I,
Nakamura Fukusuke I, Ôtani Tomoemonka
IV and others on pilgrimage Date: 7th month of 1854 Publisher: Enshû-ya Hikobei I am grateful to Robert Pryor for information
about this triptych. |
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Title: A Lively Crowd Having Fun (誰身にも陽気のにぎわひ) Description: Two actors in female roles (left), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII (center),
and Ichikawa Kodanji IV (right) with street
performers Date: 1849-1852
(censors Hama and Magome) Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke |
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Title: 士濃職商 七福神豊年遊 Description: Actors with gods of good fortune
coming off a hanging scroll Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku) Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô I am grateful to Julius Tüting and Robert Pryor
for locating this image. |
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Title: Kyôto... Actors Sightseeing at the Pavilion of Seasonal Flowers in
Full Bloom (Kyôto.... azumaya shiki hanamori haiyû yûran no zu, 京都中之郷薮之内蕎麦舗酔☆亭四季花盛俳優遊覧之図) Actors: Left sheet: Bandô Mitsugorô IV, Sawamura Tosshô I, and Iwai Shijaku I Date: c. 1836 Publisher: I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
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Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV and Kataoka Ichizô I Date: c. 1832-1834 Publisher: Daikoku-ya NOTE: The names on the banners in the left upper corner
are, from left to right, Iwai Hanshirô (岩井半四郎), Kataoka Ichizô (片岡市蔵), Sawamura Tosshô (澤村訥舛), Seki Sanjûrô (関三十郎), Bandô Mitsugorô (坂東三津五郎), and
Matsumoto Kôshirô (松本幸四郎). The name on the building is Kinegawa Yakushi (Jôkôji Temple, 木下川薬師). |
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