Matsumoto Kōshirō V [五代目松本幸四郎; Ichikawa Komazō III; Ichikawa Sumizō I] (Japanese, actor, 1764–1838)
Shimizu Ryūzō [清水柳三; seal: Horikō Ryūzō, 彫工柳三] (Japanese, block carver, fl. 1860s–1870s)
Kabuki actor: Matsumoto Kōshirō V [五代目松本幸四郎] (Japanese, 1764-1838); other names: Ichikawa Komazō III, Ichikawa Sumizō I.
Role: Nikki Danjo (仁木弾正): "Evil retainer Nikki Danjo who plots to overthrow his lord in the play Precious incense and the bush clover of Sendai (Meiboku sendai hagi)" [R. Kruml].
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865).
Block cutter: Horikō (Kiyomizu) Ryūzō [彫工 柳三].
Publisher: Ebisuya Shoshichi [恵比寿屋庄七], Kinshōdō (Japanese, fl. c. 1846 – 1883).
Year: 1863 (Bunkyū 3), 7th month.
Size: Vertical ōban, hōsho paper.
Signed: Nanajuhassai (aged seventy-eight) Toyokuni ga within toshidama cartouche.
Censor’s seal: date-aratame.
This print is from a series of portraits that Kunisada undertook very late in life and has been named Kinshodo-ban yakusha okubi-e (Kinshodo’s Large-Head Actor Portraits) in reference to the publisher, Ebisuya Shochochi of Kinshodo. The series depicted great actors in their famous roles from the past and present.
Ref.: (1) [LIB-1212.2017] Robert Schaap. Kunisada: Imaging, drama and beauty. — Leiden: Hotei Publishing, 2016, p. 118 and 167 (№ 42):
Ref.: (1) [LIB-1197.2016] Arendie and Henk Herwig. Heroes of the kabuki stage: an introduction to kabuki with retellings of famous plays, illustrated by woodblock prints. — Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2004; pp. 243-249.
| Collection | Japanese prints and drawings |
|---|---|
| Type / Purpose | Woodblock print |
| Period | 19 AD , Bunkyū era [文久] (1861–1864) , Edo period [江戸時代] (1603–1868) , Mid-19th century |
| Country | Japan |
| Media/Technique | Ink and color on paper , Woodblock print (nishiki-e) |
| Size | Vertical Ōban |
| Subject | Actor print , Kabuki , Kabuki actor , Kabuki actors , Nikki Danjo (仁木弾正) |
| School | Utagawa (歌川) |
| Creation / Publishing year | 1863 , Bunkyū 3 |
| Series | Kinshodo’s Large-Head Actor Portraits (Kinshodo-ban yakusha okubi-e) |
| Signature | Artist's seal , Block carver signature , Combined date seal and aratame censor seal , Publisher's seal |
| Genre | Actor Prints (Yakusha-e, 役者絵) |
| Acquisition year | 2014 |
