Artist: 楊洲周延 (Yōshū Chikanobu, 1838–1912)

Signed: 周延画 (Chikanobu ga) Publisher: Enshūya Ichibei [遠州屋市兵衛] (Japanese, before 1875–c.1887); Seal name En'ichi 遠市; family name Watari Ichibei 渡市兵衛; Address Tokyo Nihonbashi Horiechō Nichōme 10-banchi 日本橋堀江町二丁目十番地. Sealed as Watari Ichibei from 1876. Marks 26-165 | 056b Date: No seal. Media: Uchiwa-e (団扇絵), multicolor woodblock print, 195 × 175 mm Actors and Roles:

• Ichikawa Danjūrō IX [市川団十郎] (Japanese, 1838 – 1903); other names: Kawarasaki Sanshō, Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII, Kawarasaki Gonjūrō I, Kawarasaki Chōjūrō III.
  • Role: Omiwa (おみわ)
• Ichikawa Sadanji I [市川左団次, old writing 市川左團次] (Japanese, 1842 – 1904); other names: Ichikawa Shōjaku I, Ichikawa Koyone, Ichikawa Tatsuzō.
• • Role: Kanawa Gorō (金輪五郎)

Play: Imoseyama onna teikin (妹背山婦女庭訓), Shintomi-za, Tokyo, 10/1883

Half-length view of two actors. The female figure on the left is identified as Ichikawa Danjūrō IX, shown in a richly decorated kimono, slightly turning her face. The male figure on the right is identified as Nakamura Shikan IV, dressed in a bold-patterned outfit, gazing forward with an intense expression. His face is adorned with kumadori (隈取) makeup, emphasizing his dramatic role and reinforcing his imposing stage presence.

Lyon Collection: Roger Keyes in The Theatrical World of Osaka Prints wrote on page 74: "Act IV of Imoseyama is a domestic subplot. Omiwa, the daughter of a sake seller, falls in love with the son of Kamatari, one of the leaders of the anti-Soga party. When he refuses to reveal his identity, she attaches a spool of thread to his cloak and follows him, winding the reel. Her lover is following an unidentified princess with the same device, and all finally find themselves at Iruka's palace. Omiwa is noticed by one of Kamatari's subjects, Kanawa Gorō, who is loitering nearby disguised as Fukashichi, the fisherman. He stabs her. As she dies, he reveals that her lover was a courtier and that she will now be helping him to overthrow Iruka. Fukashichi then mixes her blood with the blood of a black-toed deer and smears it on his magic flute, making it possible to recover a certain Sacred Sword from Iruka at last, and sap his power."

Images from Hankyu Culture Archive:

Ichikawa Sadanji I as Fukashichi; Ichikawa Danjūrō IX as Omiwa; Nakamura Shikan IV Tōfu Goyō (とうふ御用)	Ichikawa Danjūrō IX as as Omiwa	Ichikawa Sadanji I as Fukashichi (ふか七)

[Thanks to Horst Graebner: www.Kunisada.de]

Artist: Yōshū Chikanobu [楊洲周延], a.k.a. Toyohara Chikanobu [豊原周延] (Japanese, 1838–1912)

Signed: 周延画 (Chikanobu ga) Publisher: Enshūya Ichibei [遠州屋市兵衛] (Japanese, before 1875–c.1887); Seal name En’ichi 遠市; family name Watari Ichibei 渡市兵衛; Address Tokyo Nihonbashi Horiechō Nichōme 10-banchi 日本橋堀江町二丁目十番地. Sealed as Watari Ichibei from 1876. Marks 26-165 | 056b Date: No seal (between 1876 and 1887).

Media: 団扇絵 (uchiwa-e, fan print), 185 x 170 mm

Play: No play, no performance/theatre identified.

Actors and Roles:

• Ichikawa Danjūrō IX [市川団十郎] (Japanese, 1838 – 1903); other names: Kawarasaki Sanshō, Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII, Kawarasaki Gonjūrō I, Kawarasaki Chōjūrō III.
  • Role: Kuemon (九右衛門)
• Onoe Taganojō II 尾上多賀之丞 (Japanese, 1849-1899); other names: Onoe Kikumatsu [尾上菊松].
  • Role: Kojorō (小女郎)

Play: While the specific play isn't explicitly mentioned, the character names suggest it could be 恋湊博多諷 (Koi Minato Hakata no Hitofushi) or a related version such as 博多小女郎浪枕 (Hakata Kojorō Nami Makura) or 和訓水滸伝 (Yamato Kotoba Suikoden).

The print captures a dramatic scene featuring the pirate chief 毛剃九右衛門 (Kezori Kuemon) and the courtesan 博多小女郎 (Hakata Kojorō). Kuemon, portrayed by Ichikawa Danjūrō IX, is depicted with a commanding presence adorned in elaborate attire befitting a smuggler leader. Kojorō, played by Onoe Taganojō II, is shown in elegant courtesan garments, reflecting her status in the Hakata pleasure quarters. The background features maritime elements, hinting at the seafaring aspects of the narrative.

The story centres on 毛剃九右衛門 (Kezori Kuemon), a notorious smuggler, and 博多小女郎 (Hakata Kojorō), a courtesan of the Okudaya brothel in Hakata. A young merchant from Kyoto, 小松屋宗七 (Komatsuya Sōshichi), becomes entangled with Kuemon during a voyage. Unaware of the ship's illicit activities, Sōshichi refuses Kuemon's invitation to join the smuggling operations and is cast overboard. Surviving the ordeal but losing his funds intended to ransom Kojorō, Sōshichi faces despair. In a twist, Kuemon, recognizing the genuine affection between Sōshichi and Kojorō, decides to assist them. He offers to ransom Kojorō on the condition that Sōshichi joins his crew. Reluctantly, Sōshichi agrees, leading to a series of events where they amass wealth through smuggling. However, their activities draw the attention of authorities. As they attempt to escape, Sōshichi is apprehended and takes his own life. Kojorō, seeking to join him in death, is instead pardoned by imperial decree upon the emperor's accession, as she is deemed innocent of any crime.

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Kōchōrō Kunisada ga [香朝楼國貞画] in a red double-gourd cartouche. Date: No censor/date seal. Publisher: No seal. Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 217 x 283 mm. Series: The taste of the new type of woman (Shingata bijin konomi) [新形美人好].

A half-length portrait of a young woman in three-quarter view, turned slightly to the right. She is elegantly dressed in a blue kimono adorned with floral motifs, worn over a red under-kimono with a blue collar featuring a lattice pattern. Her elaborately styled hair is adorned with kanzashi hairpins and a comb, indicative of her status, possibly as a courtesan or geisha. The background is filled with intricate textile patterns, including a central pink scroll embellished with golden embroidery of waves and plovers. She holds a rolled scroll featuring a snowflake-like pattern, possibly a stencil used for dyeing fabrics. The blue cartouche on the right reads: 新形美人好 (Shingata bijin konomi) – the series title.

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Kunisada ga (國貞画) in a double tosidama cartouche Date: Year of the Rat (子, Ne); Bunsei 11, 文政十一年), 1828. Censor seal: kiwame (極) Publisher: Ibaya Kyūbei [伊場屋久兵衛] (enterprise, op. c.1804-69); Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 222 x 293 mm.

Actor (not stated): Onoe Kikugorō III [尾上菊五郎] (Japanese, 1784 – 1849); other names: Ōkawa Hashizō I, Onoe Baikō III, Onoe Matsusuke II, Onoe Eizaburō I

Role (not stated): Nuregami Chōgorō (濡髪長五郎), a sumo wrestler.

A half-length portrait of Onoe Kikugorō III (三代目尾上菊五郎), shown in a three-quarter view, turned slightly to the left. He wears an elaborate kimono with a geometric pattern adorned with round pine crests (matsu mon, 松紋). His under-kimono, visible at the sleeves and neckline, features red and black tones, strikingly contrasting. A white towel draped over his shoulder signifies his role as a sumo wrestler.

The background consists of a checkerboard pattern in two shades of purple, filled with alternating butterflies (chō, 蝶), plovers (chidori, 千鳥), and melon flowers (mokko, 木瓜).

In 1828, there is only one documented performance in which Onoe Kikugorō III played a male role:

The role of Nuregami Chōgorō was played by the Third-Generation Onoe Kikugorō (濡髪の長五郎が 三代目尾上菊五郎,  Nuregami no Chōgorō ga Sandai-me Onoe Kikugorō.

The play is mentioned as Chōchō no itohan (also Chōchō futago no kyōdai) (蝶々☆梅菊) by Kunisda Project. However, the paper accompaneying my print it is called  二番目「蝶蝶亀菊のちょうようふたまたさいかく」, Nibanme "Chōchōkyō Kiku no Chōyō Futamata Saikaku" (The second feature: "Butterflies, Turtles, and Chrysanthemums: A Tale of Dual Wisdom". It was performed at Kawarazaki-za in the 1st lunar month of Bunsei 11 (1828).

Nuregami no Chōgorō was a composed sumo wrestler, in contrast to his counterpart Washi no Chōkichi (鷲の長吉), or Hanaregoma Chōkichi (放駒長吉), who was more hot-tempered. The play revolves around themes of duty, loyalty, and conflict between sumo wrestlers in the pleasure quarters (kuruwa, 廓). In one of the key moments of the drama, Chōgorō takes responsibility for a crime he did not commit, accepting blame out of a sense of duty. His role embodies bushidō-like loyalty and self-sacrifice, making him a compelling character in kabuki performance.

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Kōchōrō Kunisada ga [香朝楼國貞画] in a red roundel with winged insects. Date: 1834 — Tenpō 5 (午, Year of the Horse),  plus Approved (kiwame, 極) Publisher: Iseya Ichiemon [伊勢屋市右衛門] (Japanese, fl. c. 1820s – 1860s), seal tsuji (辻) Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 225 x 280 mm. The Wikipedia article on Kyokusui no Utage states: "A winding stream party (Chinese: 流觴曲水/曲水流觴; pinyin: liúshāngqūshuǐ) is an old Chinese custom in which the participants wait by a winding stream and compose poems before their cups full of rice wine float down to reach them. [...] It was also adopted by the Japanese and was called Kyokusui-no-en." According to Horst Graebner: However, the Japanese article provides different transliterations:きょくすいのうたげ（えん) kyokusui no utage (en) or ごくすいのうたげ（えん） gokusui no utage (en). This indicates that both kyokusui and gokusui may be acceptable readings for the term 曲水 (winding water), though kyokusui appears to be the more commonly used form.

A half-length portrait of a woman in a three-quarter view facing left. She holds a paper scroll with the saaya pattern along the edges in both hands. Her black hair is styled in an elaborate updo with a gilt hairpin and a comb. She wears a multi-layered kimono featuring blue clematis (鉄線, tessen) on a brown outer garment and white plum blossoms on a red collar. The green and brown checkered obi has gilt flowers and tendrils brocade. The background is deep blue with two red circular cartouches—the left containing a peony, the right featuring winged insects alongside the artist's signature. A third cartouche, shaped like a red lacquer sake cup, bears gold lettering reading Bijin kyokusui no utage (en) [美人曲水宴].

Provenance: René Scholten (Dutch, 1943 – 2001)

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865) Signed: Kōchō Toyokuni ga (香蝶豊國画) in a red toshidama cartouche Censor seal: Kinugasa (衣笠) & Yoshimura (吉村) Date: 1849 (Kaei 2) – according to Marks, the only year Kinigasa and Yoshimura sealed jointly Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1815 – 1869), san (三)  in a circle, in a 'boar eye' shape. Block carver: Matsushima Fusajirō [松島房次郎], seal: hori kō Fusajirō (彫工房次郎) Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 228 x 293 mm. A half-length portrait of a woman in a three-quarter view facing left. She delicately holds a blue-blossomed flower, possibly sumire (菫, violet), in her right hand, using its stem to fish clams from a pot of water. In her left hand, she holds a small, dark object—likely a freshly retrieved clam. Rather than referencing textile dyeing, this action appears to illustrate a playful or symbolic act, possibly related to traditional customs or metaphors in Japanese culture. Her black hair is styled in an elaborate updo, adorned with gilt hairpins (簪, kanzashi) and a brown ribbon with a tie-dye pattern (絞り, shibori). She wears a multi-layered kimono featuring a blue floral-patterned outer robe (花模様, hanamoyō) with a red and white kawari-eri (変り衿) and a blue and black inner collar. The obi (帯) is purple and black, with subtle decorative elements. The background is divided into three decorative panels: — Left: Orange with a swastika-based geometric pattern (紗綾形, sayagata). — Middle: Deep purple. — Right: Dark grey with a yellow interlocking circles pattern (七宝, shippō). The title, in a red cartouche with gilt framing in the upper right, reads “New Types of Dyeing” (Shingata Atsurae Zome, 新形誂染). While the title suggests a reference to textile techniques, the imagery instead depicts a whimsical or metaphorical scene of clam-fishing using a flower stem. The artist’s signature appears in the lower right within a toshidama cartouche (年玉枠), with the publisher’s seal below and the censor seals above. The block carver’s yellow seal is placed near the flowers in the lower left.

Provenance: Ruth Sylvia Nelkin (American,1927 – 2022); Christie's NY: Nov 24, 1997, lot 98;  Heritage Auctions Jun. 27, 2024 (Ruth Nelkin Collection)