Kunisada: Ichikawa Ebizo V as Boatman Matsuemon with Oar 壬 樋口兼光 秩父重忠

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada 豊国三代
Title: Ichikawa Ebizo V as Boatman Matsuemon with Oar 壬 樋口兼光 秩父重忠 
Series: Allusions to the Zodiac Signs Nazorae-Eto-Awase  擬絵当合 also called “A Calendar of Hit Comparisons with Picture Play”
Date: 1852

Jin, mizu-no-e (9th of the 10 element combinations). Ichikawa Ebizo V as Higuchi Kanemitsu and Takasuke Suketakaya as Chichibu Shigetada.  The main figure must be the boatman Matsuemon holding oar, water behind him. Matsuemon is actually the warrior Higuchi no Jiro Kanemitsu, a retainer of Minamoto Yoshinaka. After Yoshinaka’s passing, Higuchi rescued his master’s son and escaped in the disguise of a boatman. This series combines the twelve signs and five elements of the Chinese zodiac with popular Kabuki characters.  The hair combined with the expression of the main character is fantastically dramatic, as is his strongly patterned robe, unique to this role. The water behind the the boatman ties the story into the water element that relates to the series subcategory.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban (38 x 24.5 cm)
Publisher:Ebisuya Shoshichi

Signature: Toyokuni ga

SKU: KUS544