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  • Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series <i>Modern Mirror of Actors</i> (<i>Yakusha Tosei Kagami</i> - 役者當世鏡)
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Utagawa Toyokuni I (初代歌川豊国) (artist 1769 – 02/24/1825)

Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as the ghost of Akushichbyōei Kagekiyo (悪七兵衛景清) reflected in a mirror from the series Modern Mirror of Actors (Yakusha Tosei Kagami - 役者當世鏡)

Print

01/1823
10.25 in x 14.25 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: ōju [by special request] Toyokuni ga
(應需豊国画)
Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikichi
(Marks 595 - seal 04-007)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Onoe Kikugorō III as Jūrō Sukenari from this series
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Iwai Kumesaburō II as Kewaizaka no Shōshō
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Ichikawa Monnosuke III as Rokuza's wife Ofusa
Waseda University - Segawa Kikunojō V as Daiso no Tora
Waseda University - Bandō Mitsugorō III as Kudō Suketsune
Ritsumeikan University - Kunisada print of Kōshirō V in street robes with elements of his costume for Kagekiyo in the upper left - for this same performance
Edo-Tokyo Museum There are two different sets of prints that follow the same template. The first is by Toyokuni I, the teacher, from ca. 1823 and the second is by Kunisada, his pupil, from ca. 1838. We have posted as many of these prints that we could find on this page.

At the bottom of each of these prints, below the mirror and the cords, are items which look like ojime (緒締め) or toggles and each is decorated with that particular actor's crest or mon. At the bottom of the print featured on this page is the Matsumoto family crest of four flowers arranged in a diamond shape. This is referred to as a yotsu-hana-bishi (四花菱).

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What is the meaning of colored facial paints in kabuki?

The face of the actor is painted white. To that are added certain colors in lines which generally follow the natural lines of facial features. The colors which are added according to the message being portrayed are red, black, blue (or indigo), green, purple, gray, and sometimes with a bit of gold leaf. Red can indicate anger or passion and other things, while blue can stand for the coldness found in villains bent on revenge. Or... the blue can represents the otherworldliness of things like spectres or ghosts as is the case of this print in the Lyon Collection of Kōshirō V as the spirit of Kagekiyo. In some other prints Kagekiyo is represented with red makeup in the upper part of his face and blue at the bottom. In those cases the red shows the anger of a powerful hero while the blue represents his single mindedness when it comes to seeking revenge. We have added a couple of examples of how he was represented in that form on stage, too.
Yamamotoya Heikichi (山本屋平吉) (publisher)
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (五代目松本幸四郎: 11/1801 to 5/1838) (actor)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Yūrei-zu (幽霊図 - ghosts demons monsters and spirits) (genre)