Index of Favorite Actors Showing Off

(Yakusha kidori hi-iki-biiki, 役者寄取贔屓びゐき or 役者寄取贔屓/゙\)

Publisher: Maru-ya Jimpachi

c. 1840

 

This series shows full-length images of beautiful women with small bust portraits of kabuki actors in battledore-shaped cartouches.  It is listed as number 175 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.  I am grateful to Ward Pieters and Lucienne Parkan for assisting with this series.

 

 

Description: Woman looking at wind ornaments by the river

Actor: Ichikawa Kuzô as Asahina

 

Another state of the above design

 

 

Description: Young lady looking admiringly at actor with her cat sleeping behind her

Actor: Kakitsu (poetry name of Ichimura Uzaemon XII) as Umezawa Kogorobei

 

Description: Beauty leaning on brazier

Actor: Sawamura Sôjûrô V as Jûrô Sukenari (十良祐成)

 

Another state of the above design

 

Description: Beauty under flags with the names of donors

Actor: Iwai Hanshirô VII

 

Another state of the above design

 

 

Description: Beauty preparing to depart

Actor: Nakamura Kajaku I as Oniô (鬼王)

 

Another state of the above desigh

 

Description: A homely servant taking orders from her beautiful mistress

Actors: Ichikawa Hakuen III (top) and Onoe Eizaburô III

 

Description: Beauty surrounded by hanging calligraphy

Actor: Ichikawa Hakuen III as Kudô Saemon Suketsune

 

NOTE: The text in the cartouche reads mitate Suketsune(見立祐経).  Since “mitate” can be translated as parody or imaginary, the actor Ichikawa Hakuen III may never have performed this role on stage.  The actor Ichikawa Hakuen III changed his name numerous times and is better known as Ichikawa Danjûrô VII and as Ichikawa Ebizô V.

 

 

Another state of the above design

 

Another state, or possibly a faded example

 

Description: Standing woman looking through a screen door at a heavyset woman relaxing and drinking sake

Actors: Ôtani Mansaku I as Tojibô (とち坊) and Onoe Baika as Izayoi (十六夜) 

 

Description: Beauty by a folding screen

Actors: Bandô Shinsui (坂東 新水)

 

 

Description:

Actors: Arashi Rikan III as Danzaburô (団三郎)

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