Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞]; a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865).
Signed:
Toyokuni ga [豊国 画] in a red toshidama cartouche.
Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. C. 1845 – 1847), seal: San [三] (Marks 11-001 | 127c).
Block carver: Matsushima Fusajirō [松嶋房次郎] (Japanese, fl. 1843 – 1850); seal [彫工房] – Hori kō Fusa (Gordon Friese № 134).
Double nanushi censor seal: Kunigasa & Watanabe (1849-50).
Actor:
Iwai Hanshirō VIII [岩井半四郎] (Japanese, 1829 – 1882); other names: Iwai Shijaku II,
Iwai Kumesaburō III [岩井粂三郎], Iwai Hisajirō II.
Play: Yukari no Hana Iro mo Yoshiwara [紫花色吉原], performed at the
Kawarazaki Theater (Edo) from the 5th day of the 5th lunar month of Kaei 3 (1850) (see Kabuki Playbill at MFA (Boston)
№ 11.27996).
A famous
Yoshiwara courtesan named
Manjiya Yatsuhashi [万字屋 八ツ橋] was killed by a provincial commoner Sano Jirōzaemon [佐野次郎左衛門] (on the second sheet of the pair):
SVJP-0298.2019: Ichikawa Ebizō V as Sano Jirōzaemon. |
SVJP-0297.2019: Iwai Kumesaburō III as Manjiya Yatsuhashi |
Another Kunisada's print with the same characters in the same play and same performance can be seen at MFA (Boston) №
11.40190.
One more example can be seen in the two upper images at Waseda University Cultural Resources Database, №
006-2707: