Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signature: Kunisada ga [国貞画] in a red double-gourd cartouche. Publisher:  Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1815 – 1869); seal: san (三) in a circle to verso. Date seal: Year of the Snake (巳, mi), Tenpō 4 , 1833, to verso. Censor seal: kiwame (極, approved), to verso. Media: Double-side fan print (uchiwa-e); 225 x 292 mm. Series: Tosei rok’kasen or Tosei rokkasen [當世六花撰]  – two translations: (1) by Sebastian Izzard: Six choice modern flowers, (2) by Horst Graebner: Modern Six [Immortal] Poets. Character: Ichikawa Danzō V [市川団蔵] (Japanese, 1788 – 1845); Ichikawa Shikō I, Ichikawa Danzaburō IV, Ichikawa Danjirō I, Ichikawa Morinosuke I. Poet: Fun'ya/Bunya Yasuhide [文屋康秀] (Japanese, ? – c.885) – one of Six Immortal Poets (六歌仙, rokkasen)

A double-sheet uncut fan print with a half-length, three-quarter view, turned to the right, portrait of kabuki actor Ichikawa Danzō V holding a sensu (扇子, folding fan) with a yellow and red design in his right hand, gripping it close to his chest. He wears a blue kimono with circular floral motifs and a white undergarment with a purple geometric pattern; a white hexagonal crest with three stripes is visible on his sleeve. A red scroll with an inscription is hanging behind him. The inscription on a red background reads: Fun'ya (or Bunya) Yasuhide (文屋康秀). Ichikawa Danzō V (市川団蔵) is written with hentaigana and hiragana as Mikawaya Shikō (みかわやしこう), the guild and poetry names of Danzō. The series title Tōsei Rokkasen (当世六歌撰) appears in the red cartouche to the left, and the artist's signature is in the double-gourd red cartouche to the right. The background features a green and purple gradient decorated with floral roundels.

The reverse side features a decorative design with floral roundels in blue and green. A paper slip (tanzaku, 短冊) with a red cloud-like gradient at the edges is positioned diagonally across the composition. The slip contains a calligraphic inscription in cursive script. Three standard seals, publisher, approval, and date, are in the bottom right quadrant of the print.

Ref: (1) [LIB-2967.2022] Utagawa Kunisada (1786 – 1865): His world revisited / Catalogue № 17, Exhibition March 17-21, 2021. — NY: Sebastian Izzard, LLC., 2021; p. 130-1. (2) [LIB-1212.2017] Robert Schaap. Kunisada: Imaging, drama and beauty. — Leiden: Hotei Publishing, 2016, p. 58. [With tremendous help from Horst Graebner of Kunisada Project].

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 (豊國画) in a yellow toshidama cartouche Censor seal: Fuku (福) & Muramatsu (村松) Date seal: 1853 — Kaei 6 (丑, Year of the Ox), 2nd month Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1815 – 1869), san (三)  in a circle Block carver: Yokokawa Takejirō [横川竹二郎] (Japanese, fl. 1845 – 1863); Seal: hori Take (彫竹) Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 214 x 295 mm A half-length portrait of a woman in a three-quarter view facing left. She holds an almost full sake cup—with three blue toshidamas—in her left hand and a shamisen plectrum (bachi, 撥) in her right. Resting on her lap, partially visible in the lower part of the print, is a shamisen (三味線). Her black hair is styled in an elaborate updo, adorned with gilt hairpins (簪, kanzashi), a comb, and a blue ribbon. She wears a blue outer kimono featuring a chrysanthemum diaper pattern (青海波, seigaiha) with black shippō (七宝) roundels, a red under-kimono, and a blue latticed collar. The obi (帯) is purple, decorated with green-and-blue dragons and waves over a sayagata (紗綾形) lattice pattern. The background features a hemp-leaf geometric pattern (麻の葉, asanoha) transitioning from black to crimson in a gradient, with a mist-like effect at face level. A round red cartouche in the upper right contains the title "The six days [of the week], the 5th day" (Roku hisei — butsumetsu, 六陽盛 物(ぶつ)愛(めつ)). The artist’s signature (豊國画, Toyokuni ga) appears in a yellow toshidama cartouche in the lower left, accompanied by the publisher’s and censor seals, as well as the block carver’s seal (彫竹, hori Take). There has been extensive discussion regarding the meaning of the title in the red round cartouche, which reads 六曜盛物愛. Breaking Down the Inscription: The first two characters, 六曜 (Rokuyō), refer to the six-day Buddhist calendar cycle, which determines lucky and unlucky days. This system became widely used in the late Edo and Meiji periods. The six days are:

• 先勝 (Senshō) – Lucky in the morning
• 友引 (Tomobiki) – "Pulling a friend" (good for social matters)
• 先負 (Sakimake) – Lucky in the afternoon
• 仏滅 (Butsumetsu) – The most unlucky day
• 大安 (Taian) – The most lucky day
• 赤口 (Shakkō) – Bad luck

Upon reviewing the available information and expert analyses, it appears that the inscription 六曜盛物愛 contains an unconventional representation of 仏滅 (Butsumetsu), traditionally written as 仏滅. Deciphering the Inscription: 六曜 (Rokuyō): Refers to the six-day Buddhist calendar cycle, indicating auspicious and inauspicious days. 盛 (Sakari): Translates to prosperity, peak, or prominence, possibly suggesting a focus on the significance of these days. Together, 六曜盛 (Rokuyō Sakari)—the series title—can be interpreted as "The Six Days in Their Peak" or "The Prosperity of the Six Days" (where "盛" carries the meaning of "prosperous, prominent, or significant"). The two kanji to the left of the series title (物愛) seem to represent 仏滅 (Butsumetsu, the most unlucky day). However, 仏滅 is the standard notation, making the use of 物愛 highly unusual. Comparison with Other Known Prints in the Series: There are two other prints in this series, documented by The Kunisada Project, which feature correctly written names of other Rokuyō days: Taian (大安) – The most lucky day Senshō (先勝) – Lucky in the morning Since both Taian and Senshō are written correctly, it is logical to assume that 物愛 (Butsumetsu) was intended to represent 仏滅 (Butsumetsu, "Buddha’s Death," the most unlucky day). Possible Reasons for the Unconventional Notation: The use of 物愛 instead of 仏滅 remains unexplained, but possibilities include: — A woodblock cutter’s error, possibly confusing the characters 仏滅 with similar-looking ones. — An artistic variation, though this would be unusual since Butsumetsu is almost always written as 仏滅. — A play on words, but no documented precedent has been found for writing Butsumetsu as 物愛. Conclusion: The most accurate title for this print should follow the established pattern in the series and could be phrased as: "Butsumetsu: The Most Unlucky Day, from the series Rokuyō Sakari" or "Rokuyō Sakari: Butsumetsu, The Most Unlucky Day". [With special thanks to Horst Graebner of Kunisada Project]

Taian (大安) – The most lucky day	Senshō (先勝) – Lucky in the morning

Artist: Unknown No censor seal, no date seal. Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1815 – 1869); seal: san (三) in a circle Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 228 x 265 mm. The fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵) depicts the Eitai Bridge (永代橋, Eitai-bashi), one of Edo’s famous landmarks, spanning the Sumida River (隅田川, Sumida-gawa). The wooden arched structure is crowded with pedestrians. Below, the river is bustling with boats, including pleasure barges (yakata-bune, 屋形船) and transport vessels. In the background, Mount Fuji (富士山, Fujisan) rises above the horizon, while the soft gradient of the sky suggests early morning or evening light.

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865) Signed: Kunisada egaku (國貞ゑかく) Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1815 – 1869), san (三) in a circle plus red seal below the date-aratame seal Date-Aratame Seal: 1831 – Year of the Hare (卯), Tenpo 2 plus aratame (改) Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 229 x 266 mm Play: Masago shiranami (真砂白浪), performed at the Nakamura-za, Edo, in 3/1831 Actor: Iwai Kumesaburō II (岩井粂三郎) (1799 – 1836), also known as Iwai Hanshirō VI [岩井半四郎] (Japanese, 1799 – 1836), Iwai Hisajirō I, Baiga (poetry name), Shūka (poetry name). Role: Oritsu (おりつ) A half-length, three-quarter view, head turned slightly to the left portrait of kabuki actor Iwai Kumesaburō II in the female role of Oritsu in the play titled Masago shiranami. The play belongs to the shiranami mono genre, typically centred on thieves and dramatic entanglements.
Oritsu is wearing a blue outer robe with yellow floral motifs over a red underrobe, a purple collar adorned with an asanoha (麻の葉) pattern, and a white scarf on the shoulders. A padded towel is wrapped around the head. She is looking with astonishment inside an object she holds in her left hand, probably a straw hat.