Utagawa Kunisada II (二代歌川国貞) (artist 1823 – 1880)
Portrait of Ichikawa Kuzō III (市川九蔵) as Danshichi Kurobei (団七力郎兵衛)
05/1867
9.75 in x 14.25 in (Overall dimensions) color woodblock print
Signed Kunisada hitsu (国貞筆)
Artist's seal: toshidama
Publisher: Mikawaya Denbei ?
Combined censor/date seal: aratame and 1867, 5th month
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - an 1866 Kunichika print of Kawarazaki Gonjūrō I as Danshichi in a very similar pose
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - an 1832 Kunisada diptych with Danshichi in a similar pose In this dramatic pose Danshichi is poised or has just stabbed his evil father-in-law Goheiji while holding his sword behind his back.
An actor in the role of Danshichi Kurobei, heavily tatooed with lion and peonies.
The identification of the publisher as Mikawaya Denbei is a bit of a problem. The seal that appears on the print is found in Marks, but only for an unknown publisher of Utamaro prints from ca. 1805. This print dates from more than 60 years later. Also, we do not recall how this original attribution to this particular publishing name was made. The name of this publishing house does not appear anywhere but on this site. Further research is necessary.
Danshichi Kurobei (団七九郎兵衛) (role)
Ichikawa Kuzō III (三代目市川九蔵: 8/1854-June 1897) (actor)
Tattoo (genre)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)