Five Modern Women
(Tôsei gonin musume, 當盛五人娘)
Publisher: Echizen-ya
Heisaburô (seal name Shiba Kohei, 司馬 越平)
Late 1830s
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In this series, the series title is in
the body of the print while the cartouche contents are descriptive. Each cartouche contains two names, the
first of which is the female depicted in the print, the other is her unseen male
counterpart in a doomed relationship. Although
not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil
William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961), this series is
listed in Publishers of Japanese
Woodblock Prints: A Compendium by Andreas Marks (2011, Hotei Publishing,
Leiden, p. 115). The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25
centimeters), a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his
contributions to this series. |
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Female role: Osome (おそめ) Male role: Hisamatsu (久松) Play: Osome Hisamatsu
Ukina no Yomiuri |
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Female role: Konami (力弥) at a table
doing calligraphy Male role: Rikiya (小浪) Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura |
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Female role: Oshichi (於七) with her kimono in her mouth Male role: Kichisaburô (𠮷三郎) Play: These characters appeared in several plays. I am grateful to Louise Holmlund for this
image. |
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Female role: Ohan (おはん) standing on a
bench Male role: Chôemon (長右衛門) Play: Katsuragawa Renri
no Shigarami |
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Female role: Oshiyun (おしゆん) stringing her
shamisen Male role: Probably Denbei Play: These characters appeared in several plays. |
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“Robinson” indicates listing in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson,
1961, CLICK
HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN PAGE
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