Sonntag, 21. Februar 2010

Utagawa Kunikazu
(active c.1850-60)

Dai Nihon Rokuju Yo shu
60-Odd Provinces of Japan


a.) The Province of Dewa
right: Ichikawa Ebizô V as Benkei, left: Asao Daikichi I as Yoshitsune



b.) The Province of Iyo.
right. Arashi Kichisaburô III as Benkei, left: Onoe Kikujirô II as Owasa



c.) The Province of Iga
The Samurai Masaemon is blocking the spear of Honda Naiki with one arm.
right: Nakamura Komanosuke V as Honda Naiki, left: Arashi Kichisaburô III as Masaemon
Scene from the legend Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku.


d.) The Province of Buzen
right: Arashi Kishisaburo III Sasahara Samonnosuke, left: Jitsukawa Enzaburo I as Sasahara Hayato, Play: Koi Momiji Ogura no Shikishi


Signature: Kunikazu
Publisher: Ishikawaya Wasuke (Ishiwa)
Dated : c. 1861
chuban yoko-e, 24,4 x 18,4 cm
Ikeda Bunko IV

Samstag, 20. Februar 2010


Yoshitaki
(1841-99)

Actors: right, Arashi Kishisaburo III as Oda Harunaga, left: Onoe Tamizô II as ?
Play: Hana Makuhisago no Kaharake performed at the Naka Theatre 03/1863
Signature: Yoshitaki ga
Date: 1863

Freitag, 19. Februar 2010






Arashi Rikan II as Yakko Tsumakei


Two prints by different artists showing the same scene from the kabuki play

Shin Usuyuki Monogatari


performed 1/1829 at the Naka Theatre.


1.) Ashiyuki
(active c.1813-1831)

Signature: Gigado Ashi-yu-ki ga
Publisher: Shohonya Seishichi (Honsei)
oban tate-e
Lit.: Kitagawa, "Bosuton bijutsukan shozo Kamigata-e mokuroku", 2007, p.97

A better, full size version from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston showing the publisher's seal.





2.)
Shigeharu
(1803-1853)

Signature: Ryusai Shigeharu ga
Publisher: Tenki
right sheet of an oban tate-e diptych.


The left sheet shows Bando Intaro as Koshimoto Magaki.

The complete scene is described in "The Kabuki Handbook",1956, by Halford p. 288.

Shunkyô
(Active circa 1813-14)

Arashi Kichisaburo II as Miyagi Asojiro

Play: Keisei Tsukushi no Tsumakoto
Performed: 1/1814
Signature: Shunkyo ga with a seal showing a tortoise
Publisher: Shiocho
Date: 1814

Lower part of a vertical oban diptychon. The upper part shows Sawamura Tanosuke II as Musume (=girl) Miyuki.

All informations about this print from:
"Helden Schurken Kurtisanen" by Hendrick Lühl p.17 no.19

Shigenobu
(1787-1832)

Osaka Shinmachi Nerimono
Costumes of the Shinmachi District of Osaka

Signature: Toto (from the eastern capital=Edo) Yanagawa Shigenobu.
Seal: Yanagawa
Date: 1822
oban tate-e


Kiyonaga
(1752-1815)

Title: Hinagata Wakana no Hatsu-moyo / New designs fresh as spring leaves
or Women in New-Year Fashion Dresses
Oiran: Segawa
House: Matsuba-ya / House of the Pinetree
Kamuro: r. Sasano, l. Takeno
Publisher: Nishimura Eijudo
Date: ca. 1780's

Lit.: Tokio National Museum Catalogue Vol.II, No. 1436
Other images from this series: Ukiyo-e Taisei Vol.III, No. 73
and Ukiyo-e Taikei Vol.IV, No. 116
Julia Meech, Jane Oliver "Designed for Pleasure: The World of Edo Japan in Prints and Paintings, 1680-1860", Asia Society and Japanese Arts Society of America, 2008, p.119 fig. 83

A re-carved edition from the 20th centurry showing how the colors may have looked like found at ARTELINO.

Mittwoch, 17. Februar 2010



From right to to left:
Isamigoma no Tokuzo, Banreskisha Ichinosuke, Hokoku no Gonza, Iwai Enjiro and Mizukami no Kisaburo





TOYOKUNI III / KUNISADA
(1786 - 1865)

Kimonos patterned with different Genji symbols. Blooming iris flowers and buildings in the background.

Signature / Signatur: Toyokuni ga
Publischer / Verleger: Yamada-ya Shojirō
Carver's seal / Holzschneidersiegel: hori Take (Yokogawa Takejiro)
Date / Datierung: 4/1858
Dimension / Format: oban tate-e, 5 sheets, each approx 24,4 x 36 cm

Hidemaro
(active in the early 19th century)

Pupil later assistant of Utamaro

A puppet-player

Signature: Hidemaro ga
Size: 22,8 x 17,3 cm



Yoshitaki
(1841-99)

Three sheets from the series Imayô Genji gojûshi jô no uchi (Set of Fifty-four sheets — modern-style Genji).

chapter 15. Yomogyu
chapter 19. Usugumo
chapter 33. Fuji-no-uraba

Date: 1/1869
Format: Chûban, deluxe edition 25.0 x 36.3 cm


Yoshitaki
(1841-99)

Series: Twelve Zodiac Signs

1.) Ox
2.) Rat

Date: c.1860
Size / Chuban: 9.5" x 7"
Signature: Oju Yoshitaki hitsu
Embellished with black lacquer, gold and silver pigments