Actors off stage,

Part I

 

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.

 

Triptych title: Drunken Frolic under the Moon (Tsuki no Eishukyogi, 月の詠酒興戯)

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Sôjûrô V, Arashi Jitohachi III, Onoe Kikujirô II, Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Arashi Kichisaburô III, Onoe Baiko IV, and Ichikawa Hirogorô I

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Nakayama Bungorô II, Iwai Kumesaburô III, Arashi Kangorô I, Seki Sanjûrô III, Ichikawa Kodanji IV, and Bandô Takesaburô I

Right sheet: Ichikawa Ebizô V, Ôtani Tomoemon IV, Ichikawa Kuzô II, Nakamura Kamenojô I, Bandô Shûka I, Ichimura Takenojô V, and Nakamura Kantarô

Date: 1850-1851 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu with shita-uri seal)

Publisher: Enshû-ya Hikobei

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Actors relaxing, pub

A later state of the above design published by Mori-ya Jihei in the 6th month of 1857

Enshû-ya Hikobei

Mori-ya Jihei

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: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII entertaining in his home, with a painting of his father, Ichikawa Danjûrô VII, as Fudô Myôô

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 (), meaning both congratulations and long life.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information.

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

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 III, Sawamura Sojûrô V, Bandô Shûka I, and Matsumoto Koshirô VI

Date: 1846-1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

A group of people in clothing

Description automatically generated with low confidence

Title: Snow, Moon and Flowers (月雪花之内, Getsusekka no uchi)

Subtitle: Flowers (, Hana)

Actors:

Date: 1846-1852

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô 

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 III, and Nakamura Utaemon IV

Right sheet: Ichikawa Kuzô II, Ichikawa Hirogorô I, and Ichimura Uzaemon XII

Date: 1848-1849

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

Sheet from another state of the above triptych

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 III

Center sheet: Nakamura Aizô I, Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Nakamura Kamenojô I, Iwai Kumesaburô III 

Right sheet: Ichimura Uzaemon XII, Onoe Kikujirô II, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Date: 1851

Publisher: Iba-ya Kyûbei

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate with differences in the kimono in the center panel.  

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this alternate state of the above design with a solid red title cartouche.

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

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state with a different crest on the awning. 

Actors: Left sheet: Ichikawa Shinsha I, Ichikawa Komazô IV, Ichikawa Jejûrô IV, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Center sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Ichikawa Kuzô II, and Iwai Kumesaburô III

Right sheet: Ichikawa Hirogorô I, Ichikawa Saruzô I, and Ichikawa Ebizô V

Date: 3rd month of 1850

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

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 III, Onoe Baiko IV, Nakamura Tsurusuke I, and two unidentified actors

Center sheet: Arashi Kichisaburô III, Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Kataoka Gadô II, and four unidentified actors

Right sheet: Nakamura Kantarô, Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII, Ichikawa Komazô V, Bandô Shûka I, Arashi Jitohachi III and an unidentified actor

Description: Actors enjoying fireworks at Ryôgoku Bridge

Date: 7th month of 1854

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei  

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state with a solid green title cartouche.

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:

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

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

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state with a solid red title cartouche.

Two sheets from another state of the above triptych

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.

Actors: n

Date: 1849-1850 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Publisher: Isechô (伊勢長)

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state without text

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.

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 III, and unidentified actors as youth Gensuke (若イ者源介), tsujin Sumitarô (通人住太郎), Sabpachi (三八), Kikuji (菊次), and Bonji (文次)

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.

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.

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 

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.

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: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. 

XKuniyoshi - (iris bridge) Actors Koshirô & Nakamura, Pub

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). 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PART II

 

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