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