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. Each battledore-shaped cartouche contains the word mitate (見立), meaning parody or imaginary, suggesting that the actor may never have performed this role on stage. The series 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, Lucienne Parkan, and Robert Pryor for assisting with this series.

	Description: Woman looking at wind ornaments by the river Actor: Ichikawa Kuzô as Asahina (朝比奈)
	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 (梅沢小五郎兵衛)
	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 Shijaku as Maizuru (まいづる) NOTE: The publisher’s seal, 甚 within a circle, is on the votive flags.
	Another state of the above design without the publisher’s seal on the votive flags
	Another state of the above design
	Description: Beauty preparing to depart Actor: Nakamura Kajaku I as Oniô (鬼王)
	Another state of the above design
	Another state
	Description: A homely servant taking orders from her beautiful mistress Actors: Onoe Eizaburô III (top) and an unidentified actor (bottom)
	Another state with the maid’s apron printed entirely in blue
	Description: Beauty surrounded by hanging calligraphy Actor: Ichikawa Hakuen II as Kudô Saemon Suketsune (工藤左衛門祐経) NOTE: Ichikawa Hakuen was one of Ichikawa Ebizô V’s poetry names. He only used it briefly in Kamigata (modern-day Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe), not in Edo.
	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) NOTE: In this print, Onoe Kikujirô II is called by his poetry name Onoe Baika (尾上梅花), and Ôtani Mansaku is written as大谷万𠆯 instead of the usual大谷万作.
	Description: Beauty by a folding screen Actors: Bandô Shinsui as Goro Tokimume (五郎時宗)
	Description: Actors: Arashi Rikan III as Danzaburô (団三郎)

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