Kunisada: Ikenohata: Wa brigade, Group Eight; Shinobazu Pond and view from Telescope (Sold)
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)
Title: Wa brigade, Group Eight; Shinobazu Pond わ 八番組」 「不忍」 「いきた弁天 岩井粂三郎」（三代目）
Series: Edo no hana meisho-e (Flowers of Edo and Views of Famous Places)江戸の花名勝会
Date: 1863
We see Iwai Kumesaburo III in the role of Ikita Benten. She plays a shamisen within a roundel at bottom, and looks to our right. Upper right we see a charming, head-on portrait of a koi by Kyosai, pictured swimming next to a bucket holding turtles for virtuous live release. This work forms a diptych with No Wa Ikenohata Ueno. In that work the figure holds a telescope that points to our left, so the roundel indicates what he is spying on. Signed Toyokuni, Kyosai and Ganshosai (bottom left).
The term “flowers of Edo” (Edo no hana) can refer, among other things, to fires. The title panel for each print in this series shows the lanterns and identifying standard (matoi) for one of the brigades of firefighters (hikeshi) assigned to various districts. On the west side of the Sumida River were 48 brigades named for the symbols of the kana syllabary and grouped into 8 numbered groups (1 to 10, minus the bad-luck numbers 4 and 7). On the east side of the river, brigades were numbered and assigned to directional groups. Outlying districts were covered by special brigades, here designated “extra” (bangai). Each title gives the name or number of a brigade, its group, and its district, followed by the kabuki scene chosen to match it. There is a lot going on in each design, as in the upper right are the standards and lanterns for specific fire brigades, and on the upper left are usually magic lantern slides. Then there are one or two designs that comprise the lower portion, with Kunisada designing the actor portrait and various (21! in total for the series) other artists designing the landscape scenes.
Condition: Very good impression, color and condition. Some minor discolorations and wrinkles. Dimensions: ôban (35.3 x 24.2 cm)
Publisher: Katôya Iwazoô (Seibei)
Literature: See MFA website and FAMSF, Waseda University websites.
Signature: Toyokuni ga
SKU: KUS566