Kunisada: Three Beauties Create Bunraku Puppet Theater 重陽・ 後の月宴

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864)
Title: Chrysanthemum Festival（September) after the Moon Festival (August) (Chôyô/ atono tsuki  no utage)重陽・ 後の月宴  Date: 1854/ 4th month

Three beauties and three unseen puppeteers manipulate large, lifelike puppets to recreate a famous bunraku scene on a makeshift stage. Candles illuminate the “stage”. It is autumn, as evidenced by the branches of orange maple leaves.

Here Kunisada depicts the ladies creating puppet theater on the veranda. The scene is the act “Nozaki Village” from the puppet drama “Osome Hisamatsu”, a work written by Chikamatsu Hanji. This is the scene when Hisamatsu asks Omitsu to do moxa cautery treatment for Hisasaku who is suffering from stiff shoulders and headache. However, Osome appears to the scene.

In the center Omitsu hesitats with moxa cautery sticks  in her hand: on the right sheet old Hisasaku seated and massaged by  Hisamatsu, on the left entering Osome with head cover attended by her maid, drawing the attention of Omitsu and Hisamatsu. The three beauties are handling the puppets. We can see also three Kuroko puppet background helpers in black clothing. The title for this series of beauties is written in the cartouche, upper right, that is in the shape of the toshidama frame. 

The chrysanthemum festival is on  September 9, the date called ‘chôyô’ , meaning the double sunlight because the date has two 9s. Referring to Chinese tradition, the highest uneven number 9 is the lucky number, especially when doubled, like September 9. Therefore, this is a day of celebration, which includes drinking chrysanthemum wine and wishing for longevity. 

The title, however, says “Moon Festival (August) a month later”. The August Moon Festival is called “Jûgoya”, whereas the September Moon Festival called “izayoi” . Here it refers to the “izayoi”. (With thanks to Michiko Sato-Grube for her research.)

Series: From Twelve Months 十二ヶ月の内 (junigatsu no uchi)

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Clean and bright.

Dimensions: ôban triptych (each sheet approx. 37.3 x 25 cm)
Signature: Toyokuni ga

SKU: KUS571