Utagawa Kunikazu
(active c.1850-60)

Dai Nihon Rokuju Yo shu
60-Odd Provinces of Japan


a.) The Province of Izumi
right: Nakamura Kanjaku II as Abe no Yasuna, left: Arashi Rikan III as Kuzu-no-Ha (Fox)
Summary of the kabuki play Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami about the fox-woman Kuzu-no-Ha.



b.) The Province of Kazusa
right: Onoe Baikô IV as Otomi, left: Nakamura Tamashichi I as Yosaburô
Deluxe edition


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

Other prints from the same series part I & part II.

Utagawa Yoshiiku
(1833 - 1904)
and Gengyo (1817 - 1880)

Imayo Nazorae Genji
Modern comparison of the Tale of Genji

Chapter 11: Hana-chiru-sato / Nagoya Sanza Motoharu
Signature: Ikkeisai Yoshiiku ga, Gengyo ga
Publisher: Omiya Hisagiro
Date: c.1863-1864
oban tate-e

Sadanobu I
(1809 - 1879)

after Hiroshige

Omi hakkei / The Eight Views of Lake Biwa

Sadanobu copied the landscape from the second volume of Hiroshige's "Album of Cursive Drawings of Ryusai", c. 1850
(see print below)

Signature: Sadanobu ga
Format: album pages, approx. 15,5 x 20 cm
Lit.: Matthi Forrer "Hiroshige - Prints and Drawings", Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2007, plate 88

Hiroshige's image © Collection Pulverer and Prestel publisher

Bildunterschrift hinzufügen

ANDO HIROSHIGE
(1797 - 1858)

Arashiyama manka / Cherry Trees in Full Bloom at Arashiyama

Series: Kyoto meisho no uchi / Famous Views of Kyoto
Signature: Hiroshige ga
Publisher: Kawaguchiya Shozo (Eisendo)
Date: c.1834
Censorship seal: kiwame
Format: Oban, 24 x 37,3 cm
Lit.: Matthi Forrer "Hiroshige - Prints and Drawings", Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2007, plate 52
Gian Carlo Calza "Hiroshige: Master of Nature", Skira, 2009, p. 113 fig.148
Stephan von der Schulenburg "Helden der Bühne und Schönheiten der Nacht" Museum für Angewandte Kunst,2009, p.262 fig 214

Hirosada
(active 1820 - 1860)

Signature: Hirosada
Actors / roles (from right to left): Mimasu Daigoro IV as Fuwa Banzaemon, Arashi Rikan II as the courtesan Katsuragi, Kataoko Gado II as Nagoya Sanza, ?,?
Play: Ukiyozuka hiyoku no inazuma (Scabbards brushing in the Yoshiwara)
Publisher:
Date: c.1848
Foramt: chuban pentaptych (complete set)
Lit.: Arendie Herwig and Henk J. Herwig "Heroes of the Kabuki Stage (...)", 2005, p.74

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

mameban deluxe tetraptych.each approx. 8 x 11 cm

Museum für Asiatische Kunst
Di 8. Juni - So 5. September 2010

Leben in den drei Metropolen.
Kyoto, Osaka, Edo

Während der rund zweihundertfünfzig Jahre währenden Friedenszeit (1600-1868), zu welcher die Shogune der Familie Tokugawa die Geschicke in Japan lenkten, entwickelten sich die drei Städte Kyoto, Osaka und Edo (heute: Tokyo) zu Metropolen.
(...)
Im Mittelpunkt der Schau steht eine lange Querrolle, auf der das bunte Leben und die Vielfalt der Waren in einer der Haupteinkaufsstraßen der Stadt zu Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts, einer Zeit wirtschaftlicher Blüte, illustriert sind.
(...)
Szenen aus den Vergnügungsvierteln und Bilder von Handwerkern ergänzen das Bild Edos. Andere Bilder zeigen berühmte Orte in Osaka und zwei Querrollen, die hier erstmals präsentiert werden, veranschaulichen detailreich die Festprozession eines wichtigen Schreins in Kyoto.

For further informtion click here

Katsukawa Shunkō II (Shunsen)
(1762 - c.1830)
Changed his name around 1820 from Shunsen to Shunko II.
Active as ukiyo-e artist until the late 1820's.

The print depicts a story from the Chinese novel "Suikoden" (Shuihu zhuan in Chinese).
Gyôja Bushô of Seika-ken killing a tiger with his bare hands at the hill of Keiyô.

Signature: Shunko ga
Publisher: Maru-ya Jimpachi
Date: 1820's
Censor's seal: kiwame
Dimension: chuban

Kuniyoshi's famous version from 1827-1830:



The complete set of Kuniyoshi's "108 Suikoden" you can find here.

Hokuei
(active c.1824-1837)

The Onnagata actor Nakamura Matsue III as the courtesan Nami Oyogi ("swimming/floating wave") and her Kamuro (maid).

Signature: Shunkosai Hokuei
Publisher: Honya Seibei
Performed at the Naka Theatre 9/1831
Dimension: oban (right sheet of a diptych)
Lit.: Hendrick Lühl "Geishas und Kurtisanen", Harenberg 1983, p.185

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

Eiban / mameban sheets.

I have bought the prints one by one so it is the hell of a puzzle to decide which of them belong together.
By comparing the seals, colours and the wormholes you can guess which ones may be a diptych or even a triptych.
But unless you have not found a comparable print or you have read the Kanji (I cannot read it) it is very hard to get them into the right order.
I would be thankfull for any help.

Hirosada
(active 1820 - 1860)

Signature: Hirosada
Actor / roles: (left) Jitsukawa Enzaburô I as Hata no Kawakatsu (right) Ichikawa Ebizo V as Ono no Imoko
Play: Shitenoji Garan Kagami performed at the Naka Theatre 3/1849
Publisher: ?
Foramt: chuban diptych

unknown artist

c. 1860's

8 (from 10) eiban sheets approx 11 x 7,5 cm

Incredible how much work was put into these little prints. It is a deluxe edition that shows all skills of Osaka's elaborate woodblock printing craftsmanship; blindprinting, black laquer printing for the hair, silverish mica in the sky and gold pigments even for the smallest details.

Shigeharu
(1803-1853 / active after 1821)

Nakamura Utaemon III (Shikan I) as farmer Gosaku (really Ishikawa Goemon)

Signature: Ryusai Shigeharu ga
Carver's seal: Surimono Hori Kasuke
Publisher: Hon'ya Seishichi (?)
Play: Keisei setsugekka performed at the Naka Theatre 1/1830
Right oban sheet of a diptychon, left sheet by Hokushu

A complete description of the diptychon and a translation of the poems can be found in:
Hendrick Lühl "Osaka-Holzschnitte", Harenberg, 1982, p.99f
and
C. Andrew Gerstle "Kabuki Heroes", The British Museum Press, 2005, pl.270, p.287

Yoshiyuki
(1835-1879; active circa 1856-1875)

Actor as Lady Tokiwa (mother of the great general Minamoto no Yoshitsune)

Signature: Yoshiyuki (Rokkaen)
Date: ?

Munehiro
(Active c.1848-67)

Signature: Munehiro
Actor / role: ?
Date: ?

Enjaku
(active c. 1856-1866)

Ichikawa Yonezo III as Ishii Genzo

Play: Katakiuchi ukiki no kameyama
performed at the Inari Theatre 3/1860
Format / edition: chuban, standard
Lit.: John Fiorillo / Hendrick Lühl "Enjaku - an Osaka master of the deluxe print"
Andon, by Society for Japanese Arts, 2006, Netherlands pl. 19, p.59+88

You can purchase the catalogue here.

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

mameban deluxe triptych.each approx. 8 x 11 cm, cut from one sheet and glued together in an album.

Kunimasu
(active 1834-52)

left: Ichikawa Ebizo V as Banzuin Chobei
right: Okawa Hashizo (Onoe Kikugoro III) as Hirai Gonpachi

Signature: Kunimasu
Publisher: Handa Kichi
Play: Sangoku Daiichi Nochi no Kusemono perormed Kado Theatre 8/1848
Lit.: Ikedda Bunko, Vol.III, no.154

Utagawa Kuniyoshi
(1797 – 1861)

Honchô Suikoden gôyû happyaku-nin no hitori
本朝水滸伝剛勇八百人一個
Eight Hundred Heroes of Our Country’s Suikoden, One by One

Ôanamuchi-no-mikoto killing the monstrous eagle that had been attacking passing ships.

Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichiyemon
Date: c. 1830 (whole series between c.1830-36)
Lit: B.W. Robinson "Warrior Prints", S4a.10
B. W. Robinson, Kuniyoshi (Victoria and Albert, London, 1961), pl.10

An ehon with so-called kappa-zuri stencil prints. The technique of kappa-zuri was used as a cheap alternative to expensive multi-colour woodblock prints.
The paper stencils were laid over the printed black outlines and painted with colours.
This technique was usual until the 1840's.

I can't tell anything about this ehon, the title page and the last page are lost, so there is neither a signature nor a date to be found.

Funny if you look around in modern western capitals and see thousands of wall-paintings done with that technique, like those of the famous british artist banksy.
Below an example I have made for a friend's booth at some fair.

Kunihiro
(Active c.1813-1831)

Signatures: Kunihiro ga
Actor / role: Arashi Koroku IV as Koshimoto Saeda (Lady's maid Saeda)
Play / performance: Koi no Michinoku Onna Tozoku, 7/1823 at Kado Theater
Publisher: Tenki
Lit.: Ikeda Bunko, Vol.II, no.30

Hirosada
(active 1820 - 1860)

Igagoe buyuden
Tale of Bravery at Iga Pass

subtitle:
Keisei homare no sukedachi
The Courtesan and the Proud Second in Battle

Performed at Naka Theater 1/1850 (Kaei 3)
Standad printing; the deluxe edition was published by Kyoisa.

a. Nakamura Utaemon IV as Karaki Masaemon (r.) on a veranda listening to ? as Rokuhachi.

b. Two swordsmen with blunt swords are locked in combat, and a third has taken a tumble, under the watchful eyes of Nakamura Utaemon IV as Karaki Masaemon (l.) and Mimasu Daigorô IV as Honda Naiki (r.).

Two episodes from a popular story of revenge. The brother of a murdered samurai tracked the killer over all Japan with the aid of Karaki Masaemon and finally confronted him at Iga Pass. The drama, first performed in 1777, was based on a historical incident of 1634.

A detailed summary of the legend Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku that was the blueprint for this play you can find here.
A short summary of the story in Roger S. Keyes, Hirosada Osaka Printmaker, p. 103.
Hirosada designed at least ten diptychs, a triptych and three singlesheet prints to illustrate different scenes from this performance.

Lit.: Roger S. Keyes, Hirosada Osaka Printmaker, Long Beach, 1984, p. 103
Kitagawa, "Bosuton bijutsukan shozô Kamigata-e mokuroku" (Kansai daigaku, 2007), p. 105; Ikeda bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shûsei, vol. 4 (2003), #237
Dean J. Schwaab "Osaka Prints", London 1989, fig.218

The first print as deluxe edition:

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

mameban (approx. 8 x 11 cm) after a diptych by Hirosada showing the actor Nakamura Tomosa II as the boatman Yojibei.
The copied original by Hirosada with Nakamura Utaemon IV as Katô Masakiyo (r.) and Nakamura Tomosa II (l.) in the kabuki play Keisei Kiyome no Funauta, performed 1/1851



Additional picture and info from commons.wikimedia.org

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

Genkobei is about to kill Kikuno. He suspected her of having an affair with Sangobei, but after killing her he discovered it was untrue.

mameban triptych (each sheet approx 8 x 11 cm) from the play Godairiki Koi no Fujime by the author Namiki Gohei I after a chuban triptych by Hirosda.

Actors / roles (r.t.l.): Nakamura Utaemon IV as Gengobei, Mimasu Daigorô IV as Sangobei and Nakayama Nanshi II as Kikuno
Play performed: 8/1851 (Kaei 4)
First staged May 1794 in Kyôto at the Nishi no Shibai Theater.

Lit.: Kitagawa, "Bosuton bijutsukan shozô Kamigata-e mokuroku" (Kansai daigaku, 2007), p. 105; Ikeda bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shûsei, vol. 4 (2003), #387
Lubor Hajek "Hirosada", Artia, Prague 1959, p.89 & pic.33

Hirosada's version from Hajek's book:



An earlier oban sized version by Shigeharu with Nakamura Utaemon III as Katsuma Genkobei and Sawamura Kunitaro II in the role of Kikuno, published 7/1826 by Honsei (Hon-ya Seishichi) found at auctionukiyoe.com .

Sadahiro
(active after 1850)

Jitsukawa Enzaburô I in different roles.

Publisher: Kinkadō
mameban, each approx. 8 x 11 cm

Sadahiro

Nakayama Nanshi II in different roles.

eiban, each approx. 8 x 11 cm

Hirosada
(active 1820 - 1860)

Nakamura Utaemon IV as Danshichi Mohei and Nakayama Nanshi II as Tomi

Play: Yadonashi Danshichi shigure no karakasa (Homeless Danshichi: An Umbrella in the Rain) performed at the Naka Theater 5/1851

Signature and seal: Hirosada / Konishi Gocho
Publisher: Kinkado
Foramt: chuban
Lit.: Roger S. Keyes, Hirosada Osaka Pritmaker, Long Beach, 1984, p. 117 plate 49


Sadahiro

mameban deluxe triptych after a chuban triptych by Hirosada.
each approx. 8 x 11 cm, cut from one sheet and glued together in an album.

Actors / roles (from right to left): Mimasu Daigoro IV as the playwriter Namiki Shozo, Nakamura Utaemon IV as Danshichi Mohei, Nakamura Nanshi II (= Nakayama Nanshi II) as Tomi.
Play: Yadonashi Danshichi shigure no karakasa (Homeless Danshichi: An Umbrella in the Rain) performed at the Naka Theater 5/1851
Lit.: Lubor Hajek "Hirosada", Artia, Prague 1959, p.91 pic.33, Roger S. Keyes, Hirosada Osaka Pritmaker, Long Beach, 1984, p. 117


Hirosada's version from 1851 (morra-japaneseart.com):




From Hajek's book:

Hirosada
(active 1820 - 1860)

Actors / roles (left to right): Jitsukawa Enzaburô I as Nagoya Sanza, Nakamura Utaemon IV as Fuwa Banzaemon and Mimasu Daigorô IV as Sasaki Kurando
Play: Act 4 of Inazuma Sôshi / Satomoyô Kabuki no Inazuma performed 9/1850 (Kaei 3) at the Naka Theater
Publisher: Kawaoto
Dimension: vertical chuban triptych
Lit.: Kitagawa, "Bosuton bijutsukan shozô Kamigata-e mokuroku" (Kansai daigaku, 2007), p. 106; Ikeda bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shûsei, vol. 4 (2003), #313

Sadayoshi
Active circa 1837-1853

Actor / role: Kataoka Ichizo I as Akechi Mitsuhide
Role name used in the play: Takechi Mitsuhide
Because of strict censorship the names of the main characters had to be changed.

Play: Badarai no Mitsuhide / Toki-ha Ima Kikyô no Hataage performed 1/1841 Wakadayu Theater
Author of the play: Tsuruya Namboku IV

Publisher: Tenki
Dimension: oban tate-e
Date: 1841
ref. Sadamasu: Ikeda Bunka II,no 132