Kunisada III: Skeletons and Acrobat as Marionettes (Sold)

Ichimura-za kaijō jōruri kyōgen ”Jōruri kyōgen playing at Ichimura-za theatre”. This seems to be a performance of actors pretending to be marionettes in imitation of a foreign puppet show.  In the center playing the Englishman is Onoue Kikugorô. He is dressed for the circus with a white conical hat, striped henley and short pants and stilts. He holds a western bottle in his hand. On either side are dancing skeletons. On the left panel is Onoue Eizaburô as a foreign woman with circus attire peeking out beneath her dress. To the right is Nakamura Fukusuke as a foreing woman holding a western fan and wearing a long veil. The frame of the work seems to imitate a western stage. Right panel: 女異人 ／ [4代目] Foreign lady = [4th generation] Nakamura Fukusuke [active: 1881-1901] シャリコーベ ／Skeleton = [2nd generation] Onoue Ushinosuke [active: 1891-1903] Central panel: 英国人 ／ [5代目] Englishman = [5th generation] Onoue Kikugorō [active: 1868-1903] Left panel:シャリコーベ ／ [5代目] Skeleton = [5th generation] Onoue Kikugorō 女異人 ／ [5代目] Foreign lady = [5th generation] Onoue Eizaburō [active: 1891-1903] Very good impression, color and condition. Unfaded, unbacked and untrimmed. Minor center crease.