Memorial prints I

(Shini-e)

Memorial prints, also called ‘death prints’ and ‘shini-e’ commemorated the death of actors, artists and musicians, but the vast majority commemorated kabuki actors. They typically portray the recently deceased actor in light blue robes (shini sôzoku), and often include such information as the date of death, age, posthumous Buddhist name (kaimyô), and place of burial. The largest production of memorial prints followed the suicide of Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII on August 8, 1854. Many memorial prints are unsigned, and were produced by artists of very modest talent in response to a large demand from the deceased actor’s fans.

	Actor: Bandô Mitsugorô III Date: 1831 Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô
	Actor: Bandô Mitsugorô III Date: 1831 Publisher: Matsumura Tatsuemon
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher: Matsumura Tatsuemon
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V holding Buddhist prayer beads Date: 1832 Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher:
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher:
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V sitting with incense Date: 1832 Publisher:
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V with prayer beads and butterflies Date: 1832 Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichiyemon
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V seated with incense Date: 1832 Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V Date: 1832 Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô
	Actor: Bandô Mitsugorô III (top) and Segawa Kikunojô V (bottom) Date: 1832 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V (left) and Bandô Mitsugorô III (right) Date: 1832 Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô
	Actor: Segawa Kikunojô V, Bandô Mitsugorô III and Sawamura Tanosuke II Date: 1832 Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô
Actor: Diptych showing Segawa Kikunojô V (left) and Bandô Mitsugorô III (right) Date: 1832 Publisher: Ezaki-ya Tatsuzô
	Actor: Sawamura Chôjûrô V (Sawamura Sôjûrô V), possibly a memorial portrait reprising the role of Yoshida Matsuwakamaru in the play Hatsuzakura Onoe Iwafuji Date: c. 1850 Publisher: Hori Takichi of Ushima
	Actor: Possibly a memorial print of an unidentified actor in the role of Nichiren Date: 1850 Publisher: Hori Takichi of Ushima NOTE: This print is part of an untitled series of prints showing busts of actors in front of archery targets

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