Shunkōsai Hokushū (春好斎北洲) (artist ca 1808 – 1832)
Nakamura Utaemon III (中村歌右衛門) as Kanda Yogorō (神田与五郎) on the right; Nakamura Sankō I (中村三光) as keisei (courtesan) Kashiwagi (けいせい柏木) in the middle; Ichikawa Ebijūrō I (市川鰕十郎) as Teraoka Heiemon (寺岡平右衛門) on the left in the play Oishizuri sakura tanzaku
03/1822
10.25 in x 14.5 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Shunkōsai Hokushū ga
春好斎北洲画
Publishers: Yamaichi on l. (Marks U438 seal 02-036) and
Honya Seishichi (M. 123 - 25-527), Toshikuraya Shinbei on r. and middle (M. 539 - 25-553)
Izutsuya Denbei also on middle
Philadelphia Museum of Art - left-hand panel
Philadelphia Museum of Art - right-hand panel
National Museum of Asian Art - right panel only
Lyon Collection - another copy of the right-hand panel only
Hankyu Culture Foundation - right panel
Hankyu Culture Foundation - center panel
Hankyu Culture Foundation - left panel
Valtion Taidemuseo (The Finnish National Gallery) - left panel only
Náprstek Museum - center panel only About this play
Osaka Prints has written: "This play and production was a big hit and proved to be a popular subject for a number of artists. Although the plot for Ôishizuri sakura tanzaku (Ôishi’s stone rubbing, a poem card, and flowering cherry: 大西摺桜花短冊) remains unknown, some role names (such as the virtuous wives Oishi and Osono, or Okaru's brother, Teraoka Heiemon) inscribed on prints by several artists for this production suggest that the story line was adapted from the most famous of all revenge plays, Kanadehon chûshingura (Copybook of the Treasury of Loyal Retainers: 假名手本忠臣蔵). Prints by Hokushû, Shunchô, and Yoshikuni for this performance further identify Utaemon's role of the wine-shop merchant (天川や) as Amakawaya Igo (later called Yatô Yomoshichi). Utaemon also performed as Tashirô Yasubei (a.k.a. the servant Yasuke)."
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This triptych commemorates a performance at the Naka Theater in Osaka in 1822.
This play was a big hit (ōatari) and proved to be a popular subject for a number of artists. Hokushū produced the design above (plus at least two more compositions), while others depicting scenes from this production included his pupils Shunchō and Shunsho (later Shun'yō), as well as the artist Yoshikuni and his pupils Mitsukuni and Hikokuni. Ōishizuri sakura tanzaku (大西摺桜花短冊) may be translated as "Oishi's stone rubbing, a poem card, and cherry blossoms." Although the plot remains unknown, some role names (such as the virtuous wives Oishi and Osono, or Okaru's brother, Teraoka Heiemon) inscribed on prints produced by these artists suggest that the plot was adapted from the most famous of all revenge plays, Kanadehon Chūshingura (Copybook of the Treasury of Loyal Retainers).
Breaking with convention, Hokushū designed each sheet with a different bold background pattern. The far left grid represents a repeat pattern of the three-rice measures (mimasu) for the crest of the Ichikawa acting family. The middle and left sheets also have an encircled character at the bottom edge for middle (chū) and left (sa), respectively, denoting the position of the sheets in the triptych.
The poems (kyōka) all claim that not only was the production a success, but each actor was heralded for his performance.
The first verse (on the right sheet) is signed "Shiyū" and reads, Oiri o / totta to tachimi/ shikan yori / hoka e hiiki wa / metta ni yaran zo ("A smashing success! / Only standing room, / nobody but Shikan, / never support / another!").* Shikan was Utaemon's poetry name (haimyō). The character for "Yo" is written on Yogorō's blue robe.
The middle verse, written by the artist Umekuni, reads, Ryōha no / tachi-e no ume ni / uguisu no / sono sankō o / hikanu no wa nashi ("On either side / a plum branch, / in the middle a song thrush, / who would not be / charmed?").* Sankō was the haimyō of the onnagata Nakamura Tomijūrō II.
The left poem, signed Tantorō, reads, Hyōban o / totta to date no / tatemono wa / ge ni senryō no / shinshō zo yoshi ("Great reviews! / this dandy star, / truly he is / Shinshō worth / a thousand coins").* The coins refer to the high salary paid only to superstar actors such as Shinshō (the haimyō for Ebijūrō).
Note: Another (partly faded) impression of this design is featured in the 2005-06 exhibition and catalogue Kabuki Heroes on the Osaka Stage, 1780-1830 at the British Museum, Osaka Museum of History, and Waseda University Theatre Museum.
[This information was taken directly from OsakaPrints.com.]
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More information and alternate translations of the poems -
The two outer prints show "Both actors... depicted as torite (literally, 'take hands') or kabuki policemen, brandishing jitte truncheons (known as gimbō, or 'silver sticks,' in theater parlance) and wearing yoten, an outer garment with slit hems and wide sleeves.... The mustard-yellow pattern in the background of each print is based on the crest of the respective actor.... The pattern is rendered in reserve, resembling a stone-rubbing (ishizuri) technique - clearly a reference to the title of the play, 'Ōishi,' in the title of the play, Ōishizuri sakura tanzaku (Ōishi's stone-rubbing of a poem card on cherry blossoms) recalls the name fo one fo the protagonists in the vendetta play Chūshingura and indicates that this play borrowed plot elements from the more famous one.
The hokku on the print at the right is signed Shiyū, whose actual identity is yet to be uncovered, as is the case with the poet who styled himself Nitsura on the left print.... The poet olayfully weaves in phrases associated with torite roles while praising Shikan, an alternate name used by Nakamura Utaemon III:
ōiri oThe poem on the left print, signed Nitsura, suggests that Ebijūrō's (here Shinshō, his pen name) sword performances are worthy of a 'thousand ryō actor' (senryō yukusha, an actor who receives an extravagant salary:
totta to tachimi
Shika yori
hoka e hiiki wa
metta ni yaran zo
Playing to packed houses,
Shikan's dramatic stances
are just so "arresting"
that fans really feel
"there's nowhere to escape!"
hyōban oThese translations were provided by John T. Carpenter. Quotes are from Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints in the Anne van Biema Collection, p. 148.
totta to tate no
tatemono wa
ge ni senryō no
shinshō zokashi
He receives rave reviews
for taking lead roles
in sword-fight scenes -
surely done well enough
to deserve a thousand ryō.
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The poetic text and signature of the right-hand panel reads: 大入をとつたとたち身芝翫よりほかへひいきはめつたにやらんそ 芝友
The poetic text and signature of the center panel reads: 両方の立えの梅にうくひすのその三光をひかぬのははし 梅国
The poetic text and signature of the left panel reads: 評判を取ツたとたてのたてものはけに千両のしんしやうそよし 丹都良
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Illustrated:
1) There is a color illustration of this triptych in Osaka Prints by Dean J. Schwaab, Rizzoli, 1989, page 86. These prints are shown in the wrong order.
2) The two outer prints appear in Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints in the Anne van Biema Collection, University of Washington Press, 2002, pp. 148-149.
3) In Ikeda Bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shūsei (Collected Kamigata Actor Prints), vol. 1, Ikeda Bunko Library, Osaka 1997, no. 122.
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There is another copy of the center panel in the collections of the National Museums of Scotland.
Nakamura Utaemon III (三代目中村歌右衛門) (actor)
Ichikawa Ebijūrō I (初代市川鰕十郎 9/1815 to 7/1827) (actor)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Nakamura Sankō I (初代中村三光: 11/1812 to 10/1813) (actor)
Izutsuya Denbei (井筒屋伝兵衞) (publisher)
Honya Seishichi (本屋清七) (publisher)
Toshikuraya Shinbei (利倉屋新兵衛) (publisher)