About This Print

This print is one of seven small format prints created by Hakutei for the short-lived 1915 magazine Shin Nigao whose purpose was to advertise the kabuki theater and renew interest in actor prints.

Appearing in issue three of the magazine, this print features the kabuki actors Ichikawa Ennosuke II and Nakamura Tōzō playing the roles of an exiled king and a disciple of Buddha, the warrior priest Koku, at the Bungaku-za Theater.

Ichikawa Ennosuke II was the stage name held by Kinoshi Masayasu (1888-1963) from October 1910 to April 1963 who also used the stage names Ichikawa En'ō and Ichikawa Danko I.  He was a revolutionary and dynamic actor, who created many new dances.¹

The actor playing the warrior priest is likely Nakamura Tōzō V, a name used by the actor Ōtani Tomoemon VI from November 1911 to March 1920.  Ōtani Tomoemon VI was a talented and popular supporting tachiyaku, specialized in katakiyaku and oyajigata roles. He was a stage partner for the stars Onoe Kikugorō VI and Ichikawa Ennosuke II. ²

For more information on this short-lived magazine whose purpose was to advertise the Kabuki theater and renew interest in actor prints, see the article Shin Nigao Magazine.

¹ Kabuki 21 website http://www.kabuki21.com/eno1.php
² Kabuki 21 website http://www.kabuki21.com/tomoemon6.php

Print Details

IHL Catalog	#256 and #1483
Title	Ennosuke [in the role of the] Exiled King and Tōzō [in the role of the] Warrior Priest Kōku  猿之助 流離王 東蔵 好苦梵士
Series	Magazine: Shin Nigao (New Portraits) volume 3 新似顔　第一年参編
Artist	Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958)
Signature	No signature on print. 石井柏亭 畫 Ishii Hakutei ga printed on bottom of magazine page print was originally tipped to (see Miscellaneous below)
Seal	柏 "haku" seal upper right corner
Date	1915
Edition	First and only edition printed in magazine Shin Nigao
Publisher	Nigaodō 似顔洞
Carver and Printer	Igami Bonkotsu (1875-1933)
Impression	excellent
Colors	excellent
Condition	excellent - tipped to original magazine page; light toning
Miscellaneous	title and artist name, appearing on bottom of presentation page 流離王 (猿之助)   好苦梵士 (猿之助) 石井柏亭 畫 Ishii Hakutei ga
Genre	shin hanga (new prints); nigao-e
Format	koban
H x W Paper	#256 and #1483: 7 5/16 x 4 11/16 in. (18.6 x 11.9 cm)
H x W Image	#256 and #1483: 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm)
Collections This Print	The British Museum 1991,1112,0.193.3 (entire magazine, only front cover shown); Art Research Center Ritsumeikan University BM-SJ193-03 (British Museum's copy of entire magazine with all pages shown)
Reference Literature

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