Kunisada: Bando Shuka I as the Fox Woman Diptych (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada
Title: Bando Shuka I as the Fox Woman
Date: 1852

The kabuki actor Bando Shuka I as Kuzunoha-hime, standing beneath a flowering cherry tree, looking left towards Ichikawa Danjuro VIII as Abe no Yasuna. He wears trailing trousers (‘nagabakama’) and has collapsed on the ground, supported by Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Yokanpei. Yokanpei seems to be waving towards Kuzunoha. The play is ‘Ashiya Doman o-uchi kagami’ by Takeda Izumo, performed at the Nakamura-za from the 5th day of the 5th month of 1850 . Yasuna has gone mad with grief at the loss of his wife, a fox disguised as Kuzunoha, who fled from their home when the real Kuzunoha-hime came to visit. The actor playing Yasuna wears the purple headband called ‘yamai hachimaki’ which is a stage convention indicating some form of illness (P. Griffith, 8/2012). He has just dropped his fan in shock and surprise.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban Diptych
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi
Literature: See BM website online.
Seal: Muramatsu, Fuku (censors)
Signature: Toyokuni ga

SKU: KUS411