Miscellaneous series of actor prints

 

Actor prints are known as yakusha-e.  These prints 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.

 

Series: Three Flourishing Geniuses of the Present Day (Tôsei Sambukutsui, 当世三福対)

Robinson: Not listed

Play: Chiyo migu sakoi no takagaki (千代見草恋中墻)

Description: Iwai Hanshirô VI as Ochiyo (お千代)

Date: 9th month of 1834

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

 

Series: Three Flourishing Geniuses of the Present Day (Tôsei Sambukutsui, 当世三福対)

Robinson: Not listed

Play: Chiyo migu sakoi no takagaki (千代見草恋中墻)

Description: Sawamura Tosshô I as Hanbei (半兵衛)

Date: 9th month of 1834

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

 

Series: Three Flourishing Geniuses of the Present Day (Tôsei Sambukutsui, 当世三福対)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Description: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Kajuro

Date:

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Chôzô

 

Series: Unknown

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Description:

Date: 6th month of 1854

Publisher: Ôta-ya Takichi 

 

A print from the same series as the above, but by Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

 

Series: Fashionable Comparisons of Raised Pictures on Toilet-boxes (Ryûkô kurabe oshie tebako, 流行競押絵手箱)

Robinson: 168

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

Description: Actor Bandô Shuka I as the nun Seigen (Seigen biku, 清玄尼) with a tattered straw hat

Date: 1847

Publisher: Sagin

 

Series: Fashionable Comparisons of Raised Pictures on Toilet-boxes (Ryûkô kurabe oshie tebako, 流行競押絵手箱)

Robinson: 168

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

Description: Actor Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Matsuwaka Maru (松若丸)

Date: 1847

Publisher: Sagin

 

Series: Brother Pictures – Desires Taken at Face Value (E-kyôdai negai no gakumen)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Main figure: A man spilling water and holding a dipper

Inset: Priest Mungaku under a waterfall

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Kofunami (小舟三)

 

Another state of the above print (note the color on the upper portion)

 

Series: Brother Pictures – Desires Taken at Face Value (E-kyôdai negai no gakumen)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Main figures: A young samurai with a kaishi paper and a writing brush, his servant is holding a yatate

Inset:

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Kofunami (小舟三)

 

Series: Brother Pictures – Desires Taken at Face Value (E-kyôdai negai no gakumen)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Main figure:

Inset:

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Kofunami (小舟三)

 

Series: Brother Pictures – Desires Taken at Face Value (E-kyôdai negai no gakumen)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Main figure:

Inset:

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Kofunami (小舟三)

 

Series: Brother Pictures – Desires Taken at Face Value (E-kyôdai negai no gakumen)

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Main figure:

Inset:

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Kofunami (小舟三)

 

Series: Unread

Robinson: Not listed

Play:

Description: Two actors on a jetty beside a fire of burning pine branches

Date: c. 1852-1853

Publisher: Kakumoto-ya Kinjirô

 

Series: Unread

Robinson: Not listed

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Ashikaga Yoshimasa (on bridge) and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Asakura

Play: Higashiyama sakura zoshi

Date: c. 1851-1853

Publisher: Izu-ya Sankichi

 

Series: Unidentified

Robinson: Not listed

Actor: Onoe Kikujirô II as Kojorô

Play: Tsuki no demura tsuyu no tamaya (月出村白露玉屋)

Date: 8th month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Tanba-ya Hanjirô

 

 

Series: Unidentified

Robinson: Not listed

Actors: Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Demura Shinbei (出村新兵衛)

Play: Tsuki no demura tsuyu no tamaya (月出村白露玉屋)

Date: 8th month of 1849

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Tanba-ya Hanjirô

 

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

Title on each sheet: Examples of Valor (Bûyû chigaragusa, 武勇千柄草)

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Hako-o Maru (箱王丸, left), Nakamura Utaemon IV as Benkei (center), Ichikawa Ebizô V as (石橋, right)

Play: Shikiutsushi tosa-e no futsutsuka

Date: 11th month of 1847

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Iseyo of Owarichô

 

NOTE: These prints may be considered to be a series or arranged as a triptych

   “Robinson” indicates listing in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson, 1961, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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