• Key block or <i>tameshizuri-e</i> bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series <i>Kokin Yujinki</i> (古今勇人記) or <i>Record of Heroes Past and Present</i>
Key block or <i>tameshizuri-e</i> bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series <i>Kokin Yujinki</i> (古今勇人記) or <i>Record of Heroes Past and Present</i>
Key block or <i>tameshizuri-e</i> bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series <i>Kokin Yujinki</i> (古今勇人記) or <i>Record of Heroes Past and Present</i>
Key block or <i>tameshizuri-e</i> bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series <i>Kokin Yujinki</i> (古今勇人記) or <i>Record of Heroes Past and Present</i>
Key block or <i>tameshizuri-e</i> bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series <i>Kokin Yujinki</i> (古今勇人記) or <i>Record of Heroes Past and Present</i>
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Utagawa Hirosada (歌川広貞: 1810-1864) (artist 1810 – 1864)

Key block or tameshizuri-e bust portrait of an actor, [Jitsukawa Enzaburō I?] as Sasahara Hayato (笹原隼人) from the series Kokin Yujinki (古今勇人記) or Record of Heroes Past and Present

Print

ca 1850
6.875 in x 9.5 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Hirosada (広貞)
Ritsumeikan University - the color print with Kawaoto publisher's seal
The National Gallery, Prague - colored edition If you are wondering who Sasahara Hayato was...

According to Osaka Prints, in describing another Hirosada composition, it says: "Hana momiji Ogura no shikishi (Flowering maple and Ogura's colored paper: 花楓小倉の色紙) appears to be an adaptation of an earlier play titled Koi momiji Ogura no shikishi (Deep maple and colored paper of the Ogura clan: 濃紅葉小倉色紙), which premiered at the Naka Theater, Osaka, in 9/1816. It is one of various plays, both in kabuki and bunraku (puppet theater: 文楽 or ningyô jôruri 人形淨瑠璃), called Ogasawara sôdô mono (Plays about the Ogasawara disturbances: 小笠原騒動物). These plays recount the tale of the Ogasawara family who were part of the Ogura clan in Bizen province. In the play the military forces of the Inugami attempt to overthrow the Sasahara (the theatrical name for the Ogasawara). However, Sasehara Hayato leads the opposition, aided by a fox with magical powers, in a successful counterattack to defeat the Inugami."

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The actor on this print is not identified by name, but may well be Jitsukawa Enzaburō I as judged by his physiognomy. To strengthen this argument compare this image to the one we added of that actor in the same role, also designed by Hirosada, with the same facial features and wearing the same outfit - right down to the swirly pattern of the obi. Even the actor's crest or mon is basically the same.

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A tameshizuri-e (試し刷り画) can be a practice, proof or a key block print.
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
warrior prints (musha-e - 武者絵) (genre)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
Kawane (川音) (publisher)
Jitsukawa Enzaburō I (初代実川延三郎: from 1/1833 to 1/1865) (actor)