Ichikawa Danjūrō and Nakamura Fukusuke as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune in Kaikei genji yuki no shirahata

Kataoka Gadō, Nakamura Fukusuke and Iwai Matsunosuke in Hibariyama koma tsunagi matsu

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Ichikawa Danjūrō and Nakamura Fukusuke as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune

in Kaikei genji yuki no shirahata

by Toyohara Kunichika, 1888

IHL Cat. #485

About This Print

The actor Nakamura Fukusuke (IV) in the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (left panel) and Ichikawa Danjūrō (IX) in the role of Minamoto no Yoritomo (right panel) in the play Kaikei genji yuki no shirahata 会稽源氏雪白旗 written by Kawatake Mokuami (1816-1893).


Two Impressions and the Added Mustache

I find it fascinating that a mustache was added to Nakamura Fukusuke's character (left panel) in what must be a subsequent edition of the same print shown in the database of The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University database, reference number 403-0204.


detail from left panel
The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum
of Waseda University 403-0204

 
detail from left panel
this collection's print



The Actors Pictured

For background on the actors Nakamura Fukusuke IV (1865-1940) and Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (1838-1903) see their respective entries in the article The Kabuki Actor on this site.

Print Details

 IHL Catalog #485
 Title (Description) Ichikawa Danjūrō IX 市川 団十郎 as Minamoto no Yoritomo 源 兵 衛佐頼朝 and Nakamura Fukusuke IV 中村 福助 as Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源九郎義経 in the play Kaikei genji yuki no shirahata 会稽源氏雪白旗 かいけいげんじゆきのしらはた.
 Artist  Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900)
 Signature Toyohara Kunichika hitsu
 Seal
two unidentified red rectangular seals below artist signature
 Publication Date Printed January 10, 1888; Published January 17, 1888.
 Publisher
Fukuda Kumajirō 福田 熊治郎 [Marks: seal not shown; pub. ref. 071]
 Carver
Hori Yū
 Impression excellent
 Colors excellent
 Condition fair- full-size separate sheets; unbacked; paper loss left panel from worming; staining center panel and right panel
 Genre ukiyo-e; nigao-e; yakusha-e
 Miscellaneous 
 Format vertical oban triptych
 H x W Paper
 14 5/8 x 9 5/8 in. (37.1 x 24.4 cm) each sheet
 Literature
 
 Collections This Print
 The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University 403-0204, 0205, 0206