Kunisada 国貞: Nakamura Utaemon as a Street Knight

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)
Title: The actor Nakamura Utaemon IV in the role of Hapaki Chomaru (Banchomaru) Tsunagoro 本朝丸綱五郎 Series: Legends of Chivalrous Heroes 梨園侠客伝 (Rien kyokaku den) Date: 1863

The actor Nakamura Utaemon IV in the role of the Hapaki Chomaru (Honchômaru) Tsunagorô 本朝丸綱五郎. He wears several strongly patterned robes; one features large, stylized chidori while the other features sparrows in flight. He holds a shakuhachi and is posed in front of large, ornate red lanterns that seem to read O-do 王堂 (Royal Hall), indicating where this scene takes place. He seems ready to confront an adversary, and apparently the flute could also double as a club of sorts to brandish at an enemy. This is from the first edition, which was luxuriously printed. The cartouche features three colors each with its own pattern, and the black on the robe features lacquer-imitating printing and there is mica in the upper sky, as well as blindprinting on his white towel and even on the tail of the white streamer on his robe. These late actor works by Kunisada, especially where he proudly mentions his age (78 years old here), tend to have dizzyingly ornate printing, as the publishers were also eager to capitalize on the popular artist’s legacy and wanted to create something truly memorable for the print-buying public.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Paper thinning on white left margin only. Untrimmed and unbacked. Dimensions: ôban (37.3 x 25.5 cm)
Publisher: Hiranoya Shinzô 
Signature: Nanajuhassai Toyokuni hitsu (78-year-old Toyokuni)

SKU: KUS643