About This Print
This memorial print (shini-e) issued upon the death of the actor Onoe Kikugoro V on February 18, 1903 shows the actor in costume holding a bird cage from which two birds have been released. This symbology may refer to the Buddhist release of captive animals on Buddha Day or may be a reference to the Lotus Sutra, as the call of the Japanese bush warbler (uguisu) (which looks very much like the birds in this print) is transcribed in Japanese as "Hō-hoke-kyo", a phrase from the Lotus Sutra.1
In response to my appeal for more information about this print on the Ukiyo-e Q&A website, I received the following information from Guy Pepermans:
| This is indeed a memorial portrait ("shini-e") of Onoe Kikugoro V (1844-1903) who died on the 18th February 1903 - the first part of the the inscription gives the date of his decease on Meiji 36, 2nd month, 18th day. The remainder of the inscription gives as usual on "shini-e" the actor's posthumous Buddhist name, his actor's stage name and finally his secular name. |
1 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uguisu. The uguisu is sometimes called the kyo-yomi-dori ("sutra-reading bird").
The Actor Onoe Kikugorō
Source: Kabuki 21 website http://www.kabuki21.com/kikugoro5.php  National Diet Library, Japan | Onoe Kikugorô (V) 五代目 尾上菊五郎 ,(4 June 1844 ~ 18 February 1903) Stage names: Onoe Kikugorô V, Ichimura Kakitsu IV, Ichimura Uzaemon XIII, Ichimura Kurôemon Others names: Onoe Baikô V, Onoe Kurôemon I Onoe Kikugorô V belonged to the triumvirate of stars who dominatedthe Kabuki world during the Meiji era (the two others were IchikawaDanjûrô IX and Ichikawa Sadanji I). He created with Kawatake Mokuami anew genre called zangirimono. "He succeeded to the headship of the Onoe family, ranked with the ninthDanjûrô, and in some respects surpassed him. It was in drama ofeveryday life that Kikugorô most excelled, the sentimental andrealistic having the greatest appeal for him." (Zoë Kincaid in Kabuki,the Popular Stage of Japan) |
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #393 |
| Title (Description) | The Actor Onoe Kikugorô V, memorial print Title as given in Waseda University Theatre Museum Ukiyo-e Viewing System 明治三十六年二月十八日設フ 栄隆院芳誉梅阿清翁居士 芸名尾上菊五郎 俗名寺嶋清 行年六拾歳 stage name Kikugoro Onoe secular name Kiyoshi Terajima age of dying 60 years old |
| Artist | Utagawa Kunimasa IV (1848-1920) |
| Signature | Hosai hitsu |
| Seal | red toshidama seal |
| Publication Date | 1903 |
| Publisher |  |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good- full-size, previous backing partially removed, light wrinkling and minor soiling |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; shini-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 x 9 1/2 in. (35.6 x 24.1 cm) |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print | Waseda University Theatre Museum Ukiyo-e Viewing System 201-5653 |
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