Polyptychs of four or more sheets

Part I

Unless otherwise noted, the individual panels are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Ward Pieters for assisting with this section.

Title of polyptych: Stylish Handsome Faces in the Summer (Tôsei natsu no fuji bitai, 當盛夏の富士びたい)

Actors from left:

First: Iwai Kumesaburô III

Second: Sawamura Chôjûrô V

Third: Arashi Kichisaburô III

Fourth: Bandô Shûka I

Fifth: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII

Date: 6^th month of 1852

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke (海老屋林之助)

Actors: A single sheet from another state of the above polyptych showing Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII

Date: 6^th month of 1852

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

Actors from left:

First: Onoe Matsusuke III as 赤沢十作

Second: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Dozaemon Denkichi (土左衛門伝吉)

Third: Onoe Kikugorô III as Kichisaburô (吉三郎)

Fourth: Iwai Hanshirô VI as yaoya Oshichi (八百屋お七)

Play: Sono mukashi koi no edozome (其往昔恋江戸染)

Date: 1^st month of 1833

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

Title: Flowers of Edo: Five Otokodate (Edo no hana no gonin otoko, 江戸の花五人男)

Actors from left:

First: Sawamura Tosshô I as Gokuin Chiemon (極印千右衛門)

Second: Nakamura Shikan II as Otonai (安の平兵衛)

Third: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Hotei Ichiemon (布袋市右衛門)

Fourth: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Rai Shokuro (雷庄九郎)

Fifth: Onoe Kikugorô III as Karigane Bunshichi (雁金文七)

Play:

Theater:

Date: 1835

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

NOTE: In this polyptych and in the two following, the background is printed entirely in Prussian blue, a style known as aizuri-e. Bandô Mitsugorô IV’s name is written as Bandô Shûchô (坂東 秀調), instead of as Bandô Mitsugorô (坂東 三津五郎).

Title: Flowers of Edo: Five Otokodate (Edo no hana no gonin otoko, 江戸の花五人男)

Actors from left:

First: Sawamura Tosshô I as Gokuin Chiemon (極印千右衛門)

Second: Nakamura Shikan II as Otonai (安の平兵衛)

Third: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Hotei Ichiemon (布袋市右衛門)

Fourth: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Rai Shokuro (雷庄九郎)

Fifth: Onoe Kikugorô III as Karigane Bunshichi (雁金文七)

Play:

Theater:

Date: 1835

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

NOTE: This is another state of the preceding pentaptych

Actors from left:

First: Ichikawa Ebizô V

Second: Bandô Mitsugorô III

Play:

Theater:

Date: 1832

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

Five actors as musicians with insets showing their roles in the play Kanadehon Chûshingura

Actors from left:

First: Bandô Shûka I with large drum (taiko, 太鼓); inset is Ichimura Takenojô V as Ôboshi Yuranosuke (大星由良之助)

Second: Arashi Kishisaburô with large hand drum (dai tsuzumi, 大鼓); inset is Bandô Shûka I as koshimoto Okaru (こし元於かる)

Third: Ichikawa Kuzô II with small hand drum (shô tsuzumi, 小鼓); inset is Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Hayano Kanpei (早野勘平)

Fourth: Ichimura Takenojô V chanting (yô, 謡); inset is Arashi Kishisaburô III as Ono Sadakuro (斧定九郎)

Fifth: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII with bamboo flute (fue, 笛); inset is Ichikawa Kuzô II as Takano Moronao (高の師直)

Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura (仮名手本忠臣蔵)

Date: 2^nd month of 1851 (censors Hama and Magome)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Te

Title: Songs for Spring Worth One Thousand Gold Coins (Shun ei, atai sen kin, 春詠價千金)

Actors from left:

First: Arashi Rikan II

Second: Nakamura Kanjaku II (died 1842)

Third: Ichimura Kakitsu

Fourth: Ichikawa Hakuen II (Ichikawa Danjûrô VII held this name from the 5^th lunar month of 1829 to the 7^th lunar month of 1830)

Fifth: Iwai Shijaku I

Play:

Theater:

Date:

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

I am grateful to Frederik Balhuizen and Josta Klaassen for this image.

Actors from left:

First: Sawamura Sôjûrô V as Gokuin Chiemon (極印千右衛門)

Second: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Karigane Bunshichi (雁金文七)

Third: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Hotei Ichiemon (布袋市右衛門)

Fourth: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Otonai (安の平兵衛)

Fifth: Matsumoto Koshirô VI as Rai Shokuro (雷庄九郎)

Play:

Theater:

Date: 1846-1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Juzô

Title: 正名江戸っ子揃

Actors from left:

First: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Otonai (安の平兵衛)

Second: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Rai Shokuro (雷正九郎)

Third: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Karigane Bunshichi (雁金文七)

Fourth: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Hotei Ichiemon (布袋市右衛門)

Fifth: Sawamura Tosshô I as Gokuin Chiemon (極印千右衛門)

Play:

Theater:

Date: c. 1833-1835

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

Another state of the above center sheet with actor’s name changed Ichimura Uzaemon (市村羽左衛門) to from Iwai Hanshirô (岩井半四郎)

This altered version of the above design bears the seals of the censors Fuku and Muramatsu, indicating a date of 1849-1851.

Title: None

Actors from left:

Ichikawa Ebizô V as Kaminari no Onaka (雷庄のおなか)

Onoe Baikô III as Gokuin no Osen (極印のおせん)

Iwai Tojaku I as Hotei no Oichi

Play: A mitate (roles not actually performed on stage)

Date: 1832-1846

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

NOTE: Well known actors are shown in female roles. The resemblance to the Five Otokodate suggests that these three sheets are from a polyptych of five sheets. I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

Actors from left:

First: Iwai Hanshirô VI as Maidzuru (まいづる)

Second: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Soga no Gorô Tokimune (五郎時宗)

Third: Sawamura Tosshô I as Kudo Saemon (工藤祐つね)

Fourth: Onoe Kikugorô III as Jûrô Sukenari (十郎祐成)

Play: Fuji Ogito Mimasu Soga (富士扇三升曽我)

Date: 1^st month of 1833

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

Title: Teijo misaho kagami (貞女みさほかゞみ or てい女みさほ鏡)

Description: Actor in front of silhouettes of revelers in a greenhouse (brothel)

Actors from left:

First: Onoe Kikugorô III as 鳶ノ佐七

Second: Unidentified actor as Fukuoka Mitsugi

(福岡貢) subduing a foe

Third: Sawamura Sojûrô V Hachirobee (八郎兵衛)

Fourth: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Gengobei (源五兵へ)

Fifth: Sawamura Chojûrô V as Nagoya Sensaburô (名古屋山三)

Play: Godairiki Koi no Fûjime (五大力恋緘)

Theater:

Date: 1846 or earlier

Publisher: Hon-ya Genpachi

Title: Mitate Kinryûzan kaichô no zu (見立金龍山開帳の図, Imaginary Scene of the Display of Secret Image at Kinryûzan Temple)

Actors from left:

Ichimura Uzaemon XII and Onoe Baikô IV

Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII and Onoe Kikugorô III

Matsumoto Koshirô VI as ほり房次 and Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Lady Iwafuji (局 岩藤)

Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as 来国俊 and Bandô Shûka I as Ohatsu (おはつ)

Nakamura Utaemon IV as Ishidome Busuke (石留武助) and Onoe Kikujirô II as Oren (おれん)

Play: Hatsu Sakura Onoe no Iwafuji (初桜尾上岩藤)

Date: 3^rd month of 1847 (censors Mera and Murata)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

Polyptych title: Collection of Eight Ken Games of the East (Azuma hakken shû, 東八拳集)

Description: Ôban polyptych of actors playing ken

1. Sawamura Sôjûrô V
2. Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII
3. Ichikawa Hirogorô
4. Onoe Baikô IV
5. Bandô Takesaburô V
6. Onoe Kikujirô II
7. Arashi Otokichi
8. Iwai Kumesaburô III
9. Seki Sanjûrô III
10. Arashi Kichisaburô III
11. Ôtani Tomoemon IV
12. Bandô Shûka
13. Arashi Rikan III
14. Nakamura Tsuruzô
15. Nakayama Bungorô II
16. Ichikawa Kodanji IV

Date: 7^th month of 1852

Publisher: Mita-ya Kihachi (left two sheets) and Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei (right two sheets)

Title on left: Beauties Enjoying Themselves in the Garden (美人庭遊びBijin niwa asobi)

Title on right: Boating in the Chinese Style (准漢舩遊び, Jukan Funa Asobi)

Description: Prince Genji? watching from a balcony as two ladies are being rowed in a fantastic, ornate dragon boat by young girls in Chinese costumes

Date: 1849-1852 (censors Hama and Magome)

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô (a later state bears the seal of the publisher Wakasa-ya Yoichi)

Description: Boys parading on the shore at sunset

Date: c. 1840

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

Title: Modern Checkered Materials for Night Cooling among the Flowers (Tôji ichimatsu hana no yo-suzumi, 當時一松花の夜涼)

Description: Women in checkered robes, each standing before an oversized flower

Date: c. 1848

Publisher: Ki-ya Sôjirô

NOTE: These prints are listed as series number 112 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). However, the continuous nature of the background suggests that these sheets were intended to be placed side-by-side to form a polyptych.

Another state of the above prints published by Iba-ya Kyûbei

Title: Illustration of the Second Floor of the Kadoebiya Pleasure House in Shin-Yoshiwara (Shinyoshiwara Kyômachi itchôme Kadoebiya hore nikai)

Date: c. 1840

Publisher: No seal

NOTE: This pentaptych was published privately on behalf of Kadoebiya about 1840. It was not intended for selling, but was a present to customers of the brothel after a fire. The cartouche in the right lower corner, which is partially cut off in this example, reads “forbidden to buy or to sell”.

Description: Bijin dressed as otokodate, separated by stylized cloud bands

Date: 1846-1852

Publisher: Kame-ya Iwakichi

Beauties from left:

First: Matsu Kicho of the Nomatsuya in Edo

Second: Toyoka of the Okamotoya with her kamuro Kiyono and Hanano

Third: Tamasho of the Yatama with her kamuro Hazsune and Iroka

Fourth: Usugumo (薄雲) of the Tama-ya

Fifth: Hanao of the Ôgi-ya

Date: c. 1838

Publisher: Sano-ya Kihei

Description: Unidentified actors

Date: 1846-1849

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

NOTE: The three sheets on the right have seals of censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura, dating them to 1846-1848. The two left hand sheets have seals of censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura, dating them to 1849. Most likely, the three right sheets were conceived as a triptych that was later expanded.

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