Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] (Japanese, 1786–1865), also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国]
Signed: 豊国画 (Toyokuni ga) in a red toshidama cartouche
Publisher: Iseya Sōemon [伊勢屋惣右衛門]; seal: 板元卜 (Hanmoto Ue); Marks 21-216 | 156g
Date and Censor seals: Intercalary 2nd month, 1852 (Kaei 5, 子閏); Fuku (福) & Muramatsu (村松)
Media: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and colour on paper; uncut fan print (uchiwa-e), 231 × 293 mm
Title: Omurai no hanashōbu [小村井乃花せうぶ] — Iris Blossoms at Omurai
Description:
Half-length, three-quarter view portrait of the kabuki actor Sawamura Chōjūrō V, turning the head to his right. He holds a sheet of paper in his left hand and a brush in his right, painting a design of waves and plovers in red. He wears a checkered outer kimono in shades of blue and grey, with a white neck towel patterned with blue flowers tucked into the collar. The background depicts a blooming iris garden with clusters of hanashōbu (iris flowers) and wooden plank bridges crossing the marsh. Small figures stroll along the walkways, evoking the seasonal custom of iris viewing in Edo. The red cartouche at upper right gives the print's inscription Omurai no hanashōbu (小村井乃花せうぶ, “Iris Blossoms at Omurai”), written with variant kanji and hentaigana. The three-character inscription in the upper-left corner remains undeciphered.
Omurai is a village located near Mukōjima in the Sumida district of Edo (present-day Tokyo). Historically, it was celebrated for its scenic iris gardens, becoming a popular destination for seasonal outings, flower viewing, and strolls among residents of the capital during the Edo period.
Actor: Sawamura Chōjūrō V [沢村長十郎] (Japanese, 1802–1853); other names Sawamura Sōjūrō V [沢村宗十郎], Sawamura Gennosuke II [沢村源之助], Suketakaya Takasuke III [助高屋高助], Sawamura Tosshō I [沢村訥升], Sawamura Genpei I [沢村源平], Sawamura Tosshi V [沢村訥子]; Poetry names: Kōga [江華], Tosshi V [訥子], Tosshō [訥升]; Guild: Kinokuniya [紀の国屋]
Provenance: Drouot, Audap & Associés, Paris; June 12, 2025; Lot 49; René Scholten (Dutch, 1943 – 2001)
Additional Information
| Collection | Fan print (Uchiwa-e) [団扇絵] , Japanese prints and drawings |
|---|---|
| Type / Purpose | Fan , Woodblock print |
| Period | 19 AD , Edo period [江戸時代] (1603–1868) , Kaei era [嘉永] (1848–1854) , Mid-19th century |
| Country | Japan |
| Media/Technique | Colour , Ink , Paper , Woodblock print , Woodblock print (nishiki-e) |
| Size | Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e , Fan , Uchiwa-e |
| Genre | Actor Prints (Yakusha-e, 役者絵) |
| Subject | Actor print , Actors , Brush , Drawing , Fan , Fan print , Iris , Iris and bridge (yatsubashi) , Kabuki , Kabuki actor , Kabuki actors , Uchiwa-e |
| School | Utagawa (歌川) |
| Signature | Toyokuni ga [豊国画] |
| Creation / Publishing year | 1852 |
| Acquisition year | 2025 |
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