About This Print
One of 261 prints from the series Nōgakuzue (Illustrations of Noh). It illustrates a scene in the kyōgen play Kirokuda (Six Loads of Firewood) in which Tarōkaja trudges through a blizzard, snow piled on his straw hat and cloak, driving six oxen carrying firewood and six others carrying charcoal over a mountain pass. The oxen are never seen in the play and the actor must be convincing in his portrayal."Of course, the stage is actually bare and the whole business is manifested through text and pantomime. This section in the play is a uniquely realistic one, and therefore considered a very difficult part in the kyōgen repertoire."1
1 "Melodic Speech Patterns in the Traditional Japanese Kyogen Theatre: A Strategy of Contrasting Structures," Zvika Serper appearing in Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Spring 2001, p. 107
The Play - Kirokuda
Source: Nō and Bunraku: Two Forms of Japanese Theatre, Donald Keene, Keizō Kaneko, Columbia University Press, 1990, p.91.A certain gentleman sends his servant Tarōkaja with six ox-loads of lumber and a cask of sake for his uncle. It is bitter cold, and Tarōkaja, stopping at an inn, drinks some of the sake to warm himself. As he gets drunk he explains to the proprietor how he plans to catch in his arms a quail, to eat with the liquor.
| IHL Catalog | #209 |
| Title | Kirokuda 木六駄 (Six Loads of Firewood) |
| Series | Nōgakuzue 能樂圖繪 (Illustrations of Noh) |
| Artist | Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) |
| Signature | Kōgyo 耕 漁 |
| Seal |  Red letter seal in a hexagonal shape: 六花 [Rikka] |
| Date | Printed on April 1, 1901 / Issued on April 5, 1901 (Meiji 34) 明治三十四年五月一日 印刷仝年仝月五日発行 |
| Edition | unknown |
| Publisher | Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya Heikichi 大黒屋平) [Marks: pub. ref. 029] |
| Carver | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - light toning and soiling, not backed or trimmed |
| Genre | ukiyo-e |
| Miscellaneous | Portland Art Museum loan number L2012.113.4 |
| Format | oban yoko-e |
| H x W Paper | 9 3/8 x 14 1/8 in. (23.8 x 35.9 cm) |
| H x W Image | 8 7/8 x 13 1/8 in. (22.5 x 33.3 cm) area within printed black border |
| Collections This Print | University of Pittsburgh 20091209-kogyo-0449 |
| Reference Literature |
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