Kunisada: Jiraiya on the Beach Kabuki Triptych (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada
Title: Jiraiya on the Beach Kabuki scene
Date: 1852

The series of books "Jiraiya góketsu monogatari“ (The Story of Great Hero Jiraiya) was published from 1839 until 1868 by different authors. This triptych shows a scene from Kabuki version of "Jiraiya góketsu monogatari“ by Kawatake Mokuami, which was performed for the first time in 1852 at the Kawarayaki-za theater with a great success. Actor Ichikawa Danjúró VIII as Jiraiya was a big hit, and many nishiki-e were printed.

             On the beach (of Sagami?) the three major characters meet. In the center Tsunate, a daughter of Matsuura Family and a partner of Jiraiya in a traveller’s outfit. She seems to be attacked by Orochimaru on the right sheet, who took away her conical travel hat with his sword. To save her Jiraiya on the left sheet is appearing out of a hole of a pine tree.vTsunate in a long sleeve kimono carries a straw mat on her shoulder and a hishaku ladle in right hand, whereas Jiraiya carries a large bag on his shoulder and a shakuhachi flute on his left hand. He does not have a sedge hood of a mendicant Zen priest but shkuhachi flute. Orochimaru is perhaps disguised as a travelling merchant.

SKU: KUS405