This uchiwa-e (fan print) by Utagawa Fusatane (房種画) depicts a scene from the kabuki dance-drama Kyō Ningyō (京人形), featuring the legendary sculptor Hidari Jingorō (左甚五郎) and his magically animated doll. In the scene, Nakamura Shikan (中村芝翫) portrays Hidari Jingorō, seated in a green kimono with a contemplative expression, possibly just after witnessing his doll come to life. He gently touches his face in a subtle gesture of astonishment. Standing behind him is Sawamura Tanosuke (沢村田之助) as Kyō Ningyō (京人形), dressed in a bright red kimono adorned with chrysanthemum motifs. The background features a screen with a woodgrain pattern on the left, inscribed with Kyō Ningyō (京人形), and a blossoming plum branch against a gradient sky.
Various kabuki plays based on this legend of Hidari Jingorō and the living doll were staged multiple times throughout the 19th century, with different adaptations and performances keeping the story alive on the Edo and Meiji-period stage. The popularity of this tale extended beyond the theatre, as it was also widely depicted in ukiyo-e prints by numerous artists, capturing both the kabuki productions and the legend itself in various visual interpretations.
Lyon Collection: Hidari Jingorō (左甚五郎) (role 1596 – 1644) Basil Hall Chamberlain called him "Japan's most famous sculptor... born in 1594."//"Hidari Jingorō (1596-1644), a master temple carpenter (miya-shi) by trade, who is reputed to have crafted life-sized ningyō on the side, is probably the earliest documented carver of what were later to be termed "iki ningyō." Legend has it that in order to accomplish all of the tasks assigned to him, Jingorō decided to create his own assis tants. [sic] To this end, he crafted a group of ningyō that were so realistic they actually came to life and helped him in all of his labors. When he was done with them, however, he threw them all into the river where they became kappa (water demons)." Quoted from: Ningyō: The Art of the Japanese Doll by Alan Scott Pate. The MET: “The Famous, Unrivaled Sculptor Hidari ‘Left-Handed’ Jingorō” (Meiyo: Migi ni teki nashi Hidari Jingorō) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1848) // “At the center of this complex triptych composition is the famous sculptor Hidari “Left-Handed” Jingorō at work in his studio, carving a statue of Shōtoku Taishi (574–622), one of the great proponents of Buddhism in ancient Japan”. Wikipedia: “Hidari Jingorō (左 甚五郎) was a possibly fictitious Japanese artist. Some people and sources state his real name was Itami Toshikatsu. A Renaissance man, he worked as a sculptor, carpenter, painter, architect, comedian, actor, kōdanshi (rhythmical storyteller) and professor of art. Although various studies suggest he was active in the early Edo period (around 1596–1644), there are controversies about the historical existence of the person. Jingorō is believed to have created many famous deity sculptures located throughout Japan, and many legends have been told about him”.A 1-minute Youtube presentation of the Hidari Jingorō Legend.
