Designs of Modern Actors for Collage-pictures Battledores

(Tôsei yakusha oshi-e hagoita, 當盛役者押絵羽子板)

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

1832-1833

 

Battledores (hago-ita) are rackets used in a game similar to badminton called “battledore and shuttlecock” in English and “hanetsuki” in Japanese. A shuttlecock (hane) is volleyed back-and-forth without a net. The game is usually played by women and children. In this series of prints, kabuki actors are pictured on battledores. This series is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  The prints are each about 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters), a size known as ôban.  I am grateful to Paul Steier for information about these prints.

 

Actors: Ichikawa Sumizô III as Kenmotsu (監もつ, left), Iwai Hanshirô VI as Nanaaya (七あや, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Kidômaru (鬼童九, right)

Play:

Theater:

 

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

Actors: Seki Sanjûrô II as Usui Sadamitsu (貞光, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Seinei (せいねい, center), and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Watanabe no Tsuna (綱, right) 

Play: Bandô musha tsunagate Hajime (坂東武者綱手始)

Date: 11th month of 1832

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

Actors: Arashi Kanjûrô I as Kawagoe (川ごへ, left), Iwai Tojaku I as Tatsuyasha (辰やしや, center), and Matsumoto Kôshirô V as Taira no Yoshikado (よし門right)

Play:

Theater:

Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III as Oharu (おはる, left), Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Hirotsuna (ひろつな, center), and Kataoka Ichizô I as Igarashi (いがらし, right)

Play: Tarutozome iroe no shiratami (鳴門染色絵白波)

Date: 1st month of 1833

Theater: Ichimura

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Yoshihisa (義久, left), Iwai Hanshirô VI as Suke no Tsubone (すけのつぼね, center), and Nakamura Shikan II as Kagekiyo (かげきよ, right)

Play: Goban Tadanobu Yuki no Kuroshiro (碁盤忠信雪黒白)

Date: 11th month of 1832

Theater: Nakamura

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