About This Print
One of 261 prints from the series Nōgakuzue (Illustrations of Noh). The print depicts a scene from the play Semimaru by the playwright Zeami Motokiyo (1363-1443).
For another depiction of this play see Nōgaku hyakuban, Semimaru.
Source: The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010, p. 84.
"In the print, the shite makes his entrance with his attendants and proceeds down the bridge toward the stage proper. The interior of the theater and the audience is also visible. This print is noteworthy because of the portrayal of slightly anachronistic elements: the stage attendants and audience members are depicted with antiquated Edo-period hairstyles and clothing."
For background on the Noh theater see the article on this site "Noh - A Brief Summary by Beata Kubiak Ho-Chi".
The Play - Semimaru by Zeami
Source: A Guide to No, P.G. O'Neill, Hinoki Shoten, 1929, p.154-155.Fourth Group
All schools
Characters:
Tsure - Prince Semimaru
Waki - a Court Official
Wak-tsure - two bearers
Kyōgen - Hakuga no Sanmmi
Shite - Princess Sakagami
On the order of the Emperor Daigo, a Court official takes Prince Semimaru, who has been blind since he was a child, to Ōsaka-yama and leaves him there with only his lute to comfort him. The Prince accepts his lot with resignation, feeling that his blindness is the result of some failure of his in a previous existence, and that the present apparent cruelty of his father is only due to a desire to help him gain a happier fate in a future life. Meanwhile, his sister Princess Sakagami has gone out of her mind and is now a wild-haired figure, wandering aimlessly from place to place. She comes one day to Ōsaka-yama and, attracted by the sound of Semimaru's lute, finds her brother again. For a while they forget their loneliness as they talk together and comfort each other, but then the Princess leaves him and continues her sad wanderings.
Right Margin Description of Scene
click on image to enlarge
Print Details
IHL Catalog #1133 Title Semimaru 蝉丸 Series Nōgakuzue 能樂圖繪 (Illustrations of Noh)
Artist
Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927)
Signature
Kōgyo 耕漁 Seal 
Kō / gyo seal
Seal 61 "Gyo"? in the "Seals and Signature" appendix of The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010. Date This collection's print was issued October 10, 1897 as shown in the print's left margin, as follows:
Date of Printing: October 5, 1897 (Meiji 30)
明治三十年十月五日印刷
Date of Issuance: October 10, 1897
明治三十年十月十日発行
The ARC database entry for their print arcUP0871 carries the same as this collection's print, as follows:
明治三十年十月五日印刷仝年仝月十日発行
Printed on October 5, 1897; Issued on October 10, 1897
Edition unknown
Publisher 
Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya Heikichi 大黒屋平) [Marks: pub. ref. 029]
日本橋区吉川町二番地 松木平吉 (in left margin) followed by Daikokuya seal, as shown on left. Carver
Impression excellent
Colors excellent Condition excellent - album backing; full size, light soiling
Genre ukiyo-e Miscellaneous
Format oban yoko-e H x W Paper 9 3/4 x 14 7/16 in. (24.8 x 36.7 cm) H x W Image
9 x 13 1/4 in. (22.9 x 33.7 cm) area within printed black border
Collections This Print Art Institute of Chicago 1939.2258.47; Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University AcNo. arcUP0871 CoGNo. arcUP0840 AlGNo. arcUP0840; University of Pittsburgh 20091209-kogyo-0249; Chazen Museum of Art 1980.2553 Reference Literature The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010, cat. 29, p. 84.
| IHL Catalog | #1133 |
| Title | Semimaru 蝉丸 |
| Series | Nōgakuzue 能樂圖繪 (Illustrations of Noh) |
| Artist | Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) |
| Signature | Kōgyo 耕漁 |
| Seal | Seal 61 "Gyo"? in the "Seals and Signature" appendix of The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010. |
| Date | This collection's print was issued October 10, 1897 as shown in the print's left margin, as follows: Date of Printing: October 5, 1897 (Meiji 30) 明治三十年十月五日印刷 Date of Issuance: October 10, 1897 明治三十年十月十日発行 The ARC database entry for their print arcUP0871 carries the same as this collection's print, as follows: 明治三十年十月五日印刷仝年仝月十日発行 Printed on October 5, 1897; Issued on October 10, 1897 |
| Edition | unknown |
| Publisher | 日本橋区吉川町二番地 松木平吉 (in left margin) followed by Daikokuya seal, as shown on left. |
| Carver | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | excellent - album backing; full size, light soiling |
| Genre | ukiyo-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | oban yoko-e |
| H x W Paper | 9 3/4 x 14 7/16 in. (24.8 x 36.7 cm) |
| H x W Image | 9 x 13 1/4 in. (22.9 x 33.7 cm) area within printed black border |
| Collections This Print | Art Institute of Chicago 1939.2258.47; Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University AcNo. arcUP0871 CoGNo. arcUP0840 AlGNo. arcUP0840; University of Pittsburgh 20091209-kogyo-0249; Chazen Museum of Art 1980.2553 |
| Reference Literature | The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010, cat. 29, p. 84. |
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