Untitled series of Chûshingura diptychs

Publisher: Enshû-ya Hokobei

1849

This series of diptychs illustrates a performance of the kabuki play Kanadehon Chûshingura at the Nakamura-za Theater in the 7^th month of 1849. The actors were:

Actor	Role
Iwai Kumesaburô III	Lady Kaoyo
Iwai Kumesaburô III	Ôboshi Rikiya
Sawamura Chôjûrô V	Ôbosh Yuranosuke
Sawamura Chôjûrô V	Momonoi Wakanosuke
Sawamura Chôjûrô V	Hayano Kanpei
Onoe Baikô IV	Okaru
Bandô Mitsugorô IV	Takano Moronaô
Onoe Shinshichi III	Enya Hangan
Ichikawa Kuzô II	Kakogawa Honzo
Ichikawa Kuzô II	Ono Sadakurô
Nakamura Tsuruzô	Sagisaka Bannai
Arashi Kangorô I	Owashi Bungo

The series is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The two individual sheets of each diptych are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

Act: 1

Description: Ko no Moronaô, the Imperial envoy Momonoi Waka-no-suke & Lady Kaoyo-gozen at the Hachiman Shrine

Actors: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Ko no Moronaô (R), Sawamura Sôjûrô V as Momonoi Waka-no-suke and Iwai Kumesaburô III as Kaoyo-gozen

Act: 4

Description: Ôboshi Yuranosuke outside the castle by night, holding the dirk with which his lord had performed seppuku

Actors: Iwai Kumesaburô III as Ôboshi Rikiya (right) and Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Ôboshi Yuranosuke (left)

Act: 6

Description: Hayano Kanpei shooting Ono Sadakurô

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II as Ono Sadakurô (right) and Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Hayano Kanpei (left)

Act:

Description:

Actors: Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Hayano Kanpei (right) and Onoe Baikô IV as Okaru (left)

This diptych is from a different play, but resembles the above series

Actors: Left sheet: Nakamura Kanemon IV as an artisan (工) and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as a merchant (商)

Right sheet: Seki Sanjûrô III as a farmer (農) and Bandô Shûka I as a servant (侍)

Play: Yomito uta Tosa-e no Irodori (四民歌土佐画彩)

Date: 4^th month of 1849

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi

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