Actor triptychs

1815 – 1846, Part III

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as a priest (left), Iwai Shijaku I as Hisamatsu (久松, center), and Iwai Hanshirô V as Osome (right)

Play: Osome Hisamatsu Ukina no Yomiuri (お染久松色読販, News of the Affair of Osome and Hisamatsu)

Date: c. 1830-1832

Publisher: Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô or Tsuta-ya Kichizô

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

Triptych title: Iriyamagatato noboru kitaguchi: Yoshiwara...

Actors:

Play:

Date: c. 1842

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Gorô Tokimune (五郎時宗, left), Iwai Tojaku I as Ôiso no Tora (大いそのとら, center), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Soga Jurô Tokimune

Plays: Fuji ôgito mimasu Soga and Hatsushiba imu tsumaji

Date: 1833

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

NOTE: This triptych is a mitate (imaginary performance), that includes actors in roles from two different plays about the Soga Brothers that were performed in the 1^st month of 1833. Ichikawa Ebizô V and Onoe Kikugorô III acted in Fuji ôgito mimasu Soga, whereas Iwai Tojaku I was in Hatsushiba imu tsumaji.

Actors: Seki Sanjûrô II as Tenjiku Naoemon (天竺直右衛門, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Hakumen no Hisagorô (白面の久五郎, center), and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Tôkanja (唐冠者, right)

Play:

Date: c. 1832-1835

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

NOTE: The fight over the Masakado banner is a scene in several kabuki plays.

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as [Shôgun Tarô] Yoshikado (よし門, left), Nakamura Shikan II as Iga Jutaro (伊賀寿太郎, center), and Iwai Tojaku I as [Princess] Takiyasha (たつやしや, right)

Play:

Date: 1832-1833

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

NOTE: The fight over the Masakado banner is a scene in several kabuki plays. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image, and to both Robert Pryor and Lucienne Parkan for information about the triptych.

Another state of the above triptych

Actors: Nakamura Shikan II (left), Segawa Kikunojô V (center), and Seki Sanjûrô II (right)

Play:

Date: c. 1831-1832

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

NOTE: Segawa Kikunojô V died in the 1^st month of 1832.

Actors: Onoe Kikugorô III (left) with snow Daruma and Bandô Minosuke II (right)

Play:

Date: c. 1830-1840

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

Actors: Sawamura Tosshô I as Watanabe Saemon Wataru (渡辺左衛門旦)

Play:

Date: 1842-1844 (censor Murata Sahei)

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Shôzô

NOTE: Murata Sahei’s seal first appeared on prints in the 6^th month of 1842, and Sawamura Tosshô I changed his name to Sawamura Sôjûrô V in the 6^th month of 1844.

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II

Play:

Date: 1835

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

NOTE: The text by the actor’s left knee reads Hakuzô Kuzô changing his name to Ichikawa Kuzô (改名白ぞう九蔵), which would date the print to around the 11^th month of 1835.

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Shôki Hanbei (鍾馗半兵衛, left), Iwai Shijaku I as Osan (おさん, center), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Aragoro Mohei (荒五郎茂兵衛, right)

Play: Probably Oto ni kiku ichô no kusemono (音菊高麗恋)

Date: c. 1833-1835

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

NOTE: Sheets from two different states of this triptych are shown. The word mitate (見立) on the center sheet indicates that this does not represent an actual performance. I am grateful to Marc DeVriese and Robert Pryor for the image.

Actors: Onoe Kikugorô III as the priest Genshin Sozu, who is actually (jitsuha) Yoshikado (源信僧都実ハよし門, left), Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Tsunagorô who is actually (jitsuha) Genji Tsuna (綱五郎実ハ源次綱, center), and Onoe Eizaburô III as the courtesan (keisei) Nanaaya (けいせい七綾, right)

Play: Unidentified

Date: c. 1831-1833

Publisher: Yamaguchi Tobei (the seal is reversed on the right panel)

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for the image and information.

An alternate state of one sheet from the above design and enlargements of texts

Actors: Ôtani Tomoemon IV

Play:

Date: c. 1833-1835

Publisher: Daikoku-ya Heikichi

Actors: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Iwafuji no hatasuke (岩ふじのはた助, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as Kagamiya Onoe-mon (かゞみやおのへもん, center), and Sawamura Tosshô I as Keishiya Ohatsu (けいしやおはつ. right)

Play:

Date: c. 1840-1842

Publisher: Sôshû-ya Yohei

NOTE: This triptych is a mitate, meaning that it is an imaginary scene with actors who never actually appeared together on stage in these roles. I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan and Robert Pryor for information about this triptych.

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Enya Hangan (ゑんや判官, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Kô no Moronao (高の師直, center), and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Momonoi Wakasanosuke (桃の井わかさの助, right)

Play: Kanadehon Chûshingura

Date: 1833

Publisher: Tsuru-ya Kiemon

NOTE: In 1833, Kanadehon Chûshingura was performed twice in Edo theaters. In the 3^rd month of 1833, it was performed Kawarazaki with Sawamura Tosshô I as Enya Hangan, Onoe Kikugorô III as kô no Moronao, and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Momonoi Wakasanosuke. In the 8^th month of 1833, it was performed at the Ichimura with Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Enya Hangan, Kataoka Ichizô I as kô no Moronao, and Onoe Matsusuke III as Momonoi Wakasanosuke.

Actors: Left sheet: Sawamura Tosshô I as Shimizu Chôemon (清水長右衛門) and Arashi Kanjûrô I as Ankoku-ji Ekei Chôrô (安国寺恵慶長老)

Center sheet: Arashi Kichisaburô III as Hisayoshi (久吉)

Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Masakiyo (正清)

Play: Ehon Taikôki (繪本太功記), which is also known as Ehô Taikôki (恵寶太功記)

Date: c. 1841-1842

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Kiyohime (重姫, left) turning into a serpent, Ichikawa Kuzô II as the priest Nichiren (日蓮上人, center), and Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Shôji (庄司, right)

Date: c. 1836

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

Actor: Bandô Mitsugorô IV

Date: c. 1833-1835

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

Triptych title: Ume no Yoshibe Slaying Chôkichi (梅のよし兵衛、長吉を殺害する図)

Actors: Unidentified actors as Ume no Yoshibe (梅のよし兵衛, left), the apprentice Chôkichi (てつち長吉, center), and Yoshibei’s wife Koume (女房小梅, right)

Play:

Date: 1842-1846 (censor Watanabe Shôemon)

Publisher: Murata-ya Ichibei

Another greatly simplified state of the above triptych

Actors: Bandô Minosuke II as Hanakatsumi no Kamekichi (花かつみの亀吉, left) and Nakamura Shikan II as Ibishi no Jusuke (イびしの壽助, right)　

Play:

Date: c. 1832

Publisher: Daikoku-ya

NOTE: The sheet on the far right has the word mitate (見立), indicating that this is an imaginary scene with actors who did not actually perform these roles. The actor Morita Kan'ya XI held the name Bandô Minosuke II from the 11^th month of 1803 to the 2^nd month of 1832. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these images and information.

Actors: Unidentified actors as Tegoshi no Shôshô (手越の少将, left) and Ôiso no Tora Gozen (大磯虎御前, right)

Play: Unidentified play about the Soga brothers

Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku)

Publisher: Unidentified

NOTE: Both Tegoshi no Shôshô and Ôiso no Tora Gozen are characters in several plays based on the revenge of the Soga brothers. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these images.

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Ebizako no Ju actually Watanabe no Genji Tsuna (ゑびざこの十実ハ渡辺の源次綱, left), Ichikawa Ebizô V as Iga Jutaro (伊賀寿太郎, center), and Iwai Hanshirô VI as the strong-woman Ômi no Okane (逢見のおかね, right) stopping a runaway horse

Play: Possibly Genke Hachidai Megumi no Tsuwamono (源家八大恵勇者)

Date: c. 1833

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these images.

Actors: Kanô Minshi II as Okinoi (沖の井, left) and Ichikawa Ebizô V as Yashio (八汐, right)

Play: Probably Zensei kogane no hana (全盛陸奥山)

Date: c. 1834-1835

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for these images.

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