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    Utagawa Toyokuni II (Toyoshige). Iwai Kumesaburō II as Osono in Kanadehon Chūshingura / Fan print, 1830.

    Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni II [歌川豊国二代] a.k.a. Toyoshige [豊重] (Japanese, (1777 – 1835) Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊國画) Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c.1815–1869); seal: san (三) in circle. Additional publisher red stamp in the form of a double gourd. Date and Censor Seal: 1830 / Aratame seal (改) plus (tora, 寅) = Year of the Tiger, Bunsei 13 (文政十三年) Media: Uchiwa-e (fan print), color woodblock print, 227 x 267 mm Actor: Iwai Kumesaburō II [岩井粂三郎] (Japanese, 1799 – 1836); other names: Iwai Hanshirō VI, Iwai Hisajirō I, Baiga (poetry name), Shūka (poetry name). Role: Osono (おその), wife of Amakawaya Gihei (天川屋義平) Play: Kanadehon Chūshingura, performed at Ichimura-za in the 4th lunar month  of 1830

    This uchiwa-e (団扇絵) depicts Iwai Kumesaburō II (岩井粂三郎) as Nyōbō Osono (女房おその), the wife of Amakawaya Gihei (天川屋義平), in Act 10 of Kanadehon Chūshingura (仮名手本忠臣蔵). Osono is shown in a half-length portrait, three-quarter view, turned to her left. Behind her, an arrow (矢, ya) has pierced a target (的, mato) in the bullseye. In her hand, she holds a severed lock of her own hair. She wears a green-spotted kimono patterned with white plum blossoms (梅, ume), with a red under-kimono featuring a blue lattice-decorated collar (襟, eri). Her hair is adorned with a gilt comb (櫛, kushi) and hairpins (簪, kanzashi).

    In Act 10, Gihei (義平), recognizing that the rōnin’s attack on Moronao is imminent, sends Osono (おその) back to her parents, an act equivalent to divorcing her. Since a divorced woman would typically be remarried by her family, Ōboshi Yuranosuke (大星由良之助) orders Ōwashi Bungo (大鷲文吾) to cut her hair, ensuring that this does not happen, leaving her unmarriageable and still tied to her husband during their separation. "Once we finish our business of killing the enemy, you can celebrate your reunion," said Ōboshi Yuranosuke.

    A red slip of paper (短冊, tanzaku) with the actor’s name and role is placed near the upper right.

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    Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). Kabuki Actor Nakamura Shikan II Evoking the Poet Kisen Hōshi, from the series ‘Tōsei rokkasen’ / Fan print, 1833.

    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); 226 x 291 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: Nakamura Shikan II [中村芝翫] (Japanese, 1796 – 1852); other names: Nakamura Utaemon IV [中村歌右衛門], Nakamura Tsurusuke I, Nakamura Tōtarō, Nakamura Kanjaku I, Fujima Kamesaburô (dance), Hirano Kichitarō; nicknames: Narikomaya Utaemon, Shijaku Utaemon; Poetry names: Kanjaku, Shishô [芝賞]. Poet: Kisen Hōshi [喜撰法師] (Japanese, fl. 810-824 CE)  – one of Six Immortal Poets (六歌仙, rokkasen) A double-sheet uncut fan print featuring a half-length, three-quarter view, turned to the left portrait of Kabuki actor Nakamura Shikan II (中村芝翫 二代目) engaged in a tea ceremony (chanoyu, 茶の湯). He holds a chashaku (茶杓, tea scoop) in his right hand and a natsume (棗, tea caddy) in his left. The natsume is red lacquer, adorned with gilt karakusa (唐草, arabesque) and a meander motif. He wears a black robe with blue-patterned details, and a white mokkō-mon (木瓜紋, family crest) is visible on his sleeve. A red scroll with an inscription hangs behind him; the inscription reads: Kisen Hōshi (喜撰法師). The name of Nakamura Shikan II (中村芝翫) is written in hentaigana and hiragana as Narikomaya Shikan (なりこまやしかん), reflecting his guild name. 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. It contains a calligraphic inscription in cursive script. Three standard seals—publisher, approval, and date—are in the bottom right quadrant of the print.  

    Mokko-mon of Narikomaya guild

    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].
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    Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danzō V Evoking the Poet Fun’ya Yasuhide, from the series ‘Tōsei rokkasen’ / Fan print, 1833.

    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].
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    Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). Kabuki Actor Sawamura Tosshō I Evoking the Poet Ariwara Narihira, from the series ‘Tōsei rokkasen’ / Fan print, 1833.

    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 283 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: Sawamura Tosshō I [沢村訥升] (Japanese, 1802 – 1853); other names: Sawamura Gennosuke II, Suketakaya Takasuke III, Sawamura Chōjūrō V, Sawamura Sōjūrō V, Sawamura Genpei I, Sawamura Tosshi V; Poetry names: Kōga, Tosshi V, Tosshō; Guild: Kinokuniya. Poet: Ariwara Narihira [在原業平] (Japanese, 825 – 9 July 880) – one of Six Immortal Poets (六歌仙, rokkasen) A double-sheet uncut fan print featuring a half-length, three-quarter view, turned to the right portrait of Kabuki actor Sawamura Tosshō I. He holds a bow (yumi, 弓) and an arrow (ya, 矢) in his left hand, while his right hand grasps the collar of his under-kimono, with his thumb tucked inside. He wears a blue outer kimono patterned with a woven lattice motif, lined with red and yellow on the sleeves. Beneath it, his red under-kimono with a black collar is visible. A white towel (tenugui, 手拭い) is draped around his neck and shoulder. A red scroll with an inscription hangs behind him, reading: Ariwara Narihira (在原業平); Sawamura Tosshō I (沢村訥升). His name is written with kanji, hentaigana, and hiragana: Kinokuniya Tosshō (きの國やとし志ょう)—his guild and poetry names. 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 blue and yellow 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. It 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].
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