Utagawa Toyokuni I (初代歌川豊国) (artist 1769 – 02/24/1825)

Bandō Shūka 坂東しうか or 坂東志うか (poetry name of Mitsugorō III - 秀佳) - as Kōguya Yahei [香具や弥兵衛] - probably from the play Chūkō Ōiso ga Yoi (?) (忠孝染分纏)

Print

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Date:ca 1820
Dimensions:9.75 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) Medium:Japanese woodblock print
Inscription:Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊国画)
Publisher: Oyama Hangorō (Marks #426 - seal 01-093)
Censor’s seal: kiwame
Links Philadelphia Museum of Art - 1830 Shigeharu diptych showing Kōguya Yahei on the left panel
Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art - Toyokuni I diptych by the same publisher showing the same character
Waseda University - 1831 ehon publication of 'Kejōbumi ataru sugatami' Description:Kōguya Yahei was prominently represented in an 1831 ehon publication, Kejōbumi ataru sugatami (戯場稿本当現建). The text is Utei Enba and the illustrations are by Kunisada. (See the link above.)

The link to the example in the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art confirms our identification of the role of this actor. Despite the differences between the two prints - ours stands out in a bare field, while theirs has the elements of a kabuki stage set - both men are wearing the same costume, but in somewhat different poses and the publisher is the same. (JSV)

As of today, September 22, 2024, we still do not know the role played by Kōguya Yahei in any kabuki plays. We have pointed out previously that far more plays are unknown than known. On top of that the variations on known plays are all over the board. A character in one play is not easily stereotyped. The plays that we are familiar with today are not only shadows of the original versions - often cut down to one or more acts from much longer compositions - but they don't even allow an easy extrapolation as to what each character was represented as in the past.

Simply put: there are more plays and characters that we know nothing about than there are ones that we do know for sure.

That said, we do know of quite a few different traditional woodblock prints that include a character named Kōguya Yahei. These run from the late 18th century to as late as a Kunichika print from 1873. We have added a jpeg of a Kiyonaga print in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 3/1785 that includes the figure of Kōguya Yahei.That is the earliest example we have found so far, but that does not preclude an earlier example from the early 18th century, for instance.

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By the time this print was produced artists, especially Toyokuni I, had learned how to draw the identifiable physiognomy of well known kabuki actors.Therefore fans of Bandō Mitsugorō III would have recognized his image on a print - even if it didn't have his poetry name printed on it - or would have known who he was when he appeared onstage. But just to be sure there would be no mistaking who he was, one of his family crests or mon would probably be displayed somewhere on his clothing. Such is the case with this print where Mitsugorō's obi shows the hanakatsumi (花勝見) or floral crest with four petals.
Related entities Oyama Hangorō (小山屋半五郎) (publisher)
Bandō Mitsugorō III (三代目坂東三津五郎: 11/1799 to 12/1831) (actor)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)

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