About This Print
Large-head portraits (ōkubi-e) of the actors Sawamura Tosshō II 沢村訥升（二代目) in the role of Sasaki Gennosuke 源之助 (right panel) and Sawamura Tanosuke III 沢村田之助（三代目） in the role of Orie おりえ(the role can also be read as Otoshi) (left panel) in the play Hana ayame katami ezoshi performed in May 1870 at Tokyo's Morita theater.It is rare to see an ōkubi-e diptych by the artist.
About the Play Hana ayame katami ezoshi
I cannot find any English language information on this play, but I did come across the below playbill from Tokyo's Morita-ya listing this play along with other pieces to be performed on a May 11, 1870.
Source: Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University
The Actors Pictured
For background on the actors Sawamura Tosshō II and Sawamura Tanosuke III see their respective entries in the article The Kabuki Actor on this site.Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #760 |
| Title (Description) | The actors Sawamura Tosshō II 沢村訥升」（二代目) in the role of Gennosuke 源之助 and Sawamura Tanosuke III 沢村田之助」（三代目） in the role of Orie おりえ(the role being played also can be read as Otoshi) in the play Hana ayame katami ezoshi 花菖紀念画双紙 (はなあやめかたみえぞうし) |
| Artist | Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) |
| Signature | Ōju Kunichika hitsu 応需国周筆 with toshidama seal |
| Seal | Toshidama seal below signature |
| Publication Date |  |
| Publisher |  |
| Carver |  |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good- full-size, thin backing; soiling primarily visible in actors faces and margins. |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; ōkubi-e; yakusha-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban diptych |
| H x W Paper | left sheet: 14 1/8 x 9 1/8 in. (35.9 x 23.2 cm) right sheet: 14 1/8 x 9 1/2 in (35.9 x 24.1 cm) |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 11.16149VR Diptych: 11.16149 (right), 11.16356 (left); Tokyo Metropolitan Library N190-012裏-04(01), (02) |
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