Gallery 2A: Prints by Toyohara Kunichika
Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) was an Ukiyo-e woodblock print artist who produced prints in the Edo and Meiji periods. He was a pupil of Utagawa Kunisada. Kunichika specialized in kabuki actor portraits (yakusha-e). Actor names and roles will be added for these prints as they are identified.
Ichikawa Sadanji I as Kikujudō in the play Competition of Magic Arts. 11.0 x 17.1 cm
Eleventh Month: Senzoku of Matsudayan from the series Twelve Months of the Yoshiwara. Late 19th century. 11.3 x 17.1 cm
Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII or VII from the series Thirty-Two Aspects of Hit Plays. Late 19th century. 11.2 x 17.3 cm
Taikōki Act 10. 1871. 10.4 x 16.4 cm
1871. 10.4 x 16.4
Nakamura Tokizo I in Unidentified Role
Nakamura Shikan IV in an unidentified role
Seki Sanjuro IV in an unidentified role
Ichikawa Sadanji I in an unidentified role
Sawamura Tanosuke III in unidentified role
Bando Shinsui V in unidentified role
Nakamura Juzaburo III (?) in unidentified role
Bando Shinsui V in unidentified role
Chushingura
The following set of prints refer to the kabuki play Kanadehon Chushingura (the Treasury of Loyal Retainers) which is a fictionalized account of an event in 1702 in which 47 masterless retainers (rōnin) of Lord Asano avenged his death. Lord Asano had been was provoked by a rival to draw his weapon in Edo Castle and was subsequently ordered to commit seppuku. The print borders are characteristic of many Chushingura print series and refer to the design on the happi coats that the ronin wore during their attack. This set is unusual in depicting individual actors rather than a complete scene. This set is undated but from the late 19th century. Prints are approximately 11 by 17 cm in size.
Act 5. Onoe Kikugoro V as Hayano Kanpei
Act 5. Ichikawa Sadanji I as Sadakuro
Act 6. Onoe Kikugoro V as Hayano Kampei
Act 6. Ichikawa Sadanji I as Hara Goemon
Act 7. Nakamura Shikan IV as Heiemon
Act 7. Onoe Kikugoro V as Okaru
The following four images are from an uncut sheet of four actor prints from a 1883 series depicting scenes from the Kanadehon Chūshingura.
.
Act 9. Suketakaya Takasuke IV as Kakogawa Honzō and Onoe Taganojō II as Oishi (Ōbishi Yuranosuke's wife). 10.8 x 16.8 cm
Act 10. Ichikawa Sadanji I as Amakawaya Gihei and Bandō Shūchō II as his wife Osono. 10.6 x 16.8 cm
Act 11. Sawamura Tosshi VII (top) as Ōtaka Gengo and Bandō Kakitsu I as Sugenoya Sannojo Masatoshi (two of the 47 rōnin). 10.9 x 16.9 cm
Act 12. Nakamura Shikan IV (top) as Ōbishi Yuranosuke and Ichikawa Kodanji V as Ōbishi Rikiya. 10.8 x 16.8 cm