About This Print
Sources: Multiple sources including http://www.kunisada.de/kabuki-plays/play-list-1857.htm and information supplied by Guy Peppermans and Horst Graebner on the Ukiyo-e Q&A website and the Ritsumeikan University ARC databaseThis print is one panel of a triptych (see below) depicting the three main characters Okaru, Kampei and Bannai in the interact hengemono (multi-role dance) Michiyuki tabiji no hanamuko (Ochiudo) (“The Fugitives”.) This dance was staged after Act IV, scene 2, Uramon (“The Rear Gate of the Mansion”) of the kabuki play Kanadehon Chūshingura (仮名手本忠臣蔵) ("The Treasury of Loyal Retainers.") As detailed below, the actors pictured are Nakamura Fukusuke I 中村 福助 (playing the character Koshi hajime Okaru こし元おかる); Bandō Mitsugorō VI 坂東 三津五郎; Ichikawa Ichizô III 市川 市蔵 and Nakamura Kantarō I 中村 翫太郎.
The performance date for this piece was the 13th day of the 10th month, Ansei 4 (1857) and it was staged at the Morita-za.
Play cycle: 一番目 二番目大切
Played title: 仮名手本忠臣蔵 けいせゐ返魂香 kanadehonchuushingura keiseihangonkou
Performed Title: 道行 旅路の花婿 採筆恵の大津絵 michiyukitabijinohanamuko fudetoritemeguminoootsue
Performance Title: 仮名手本忠臣蔵 けいせゐ返魂香 道行 旅路の花婿 採筆恵の大津絵 仮名手本忠臣蔵 kanadehonchuushingura keiseihangonkou michiyukitabijinohanamuko fudetoritemeguminoootsue kanadehonchuushingura
Actor: こし元おかる koshi hajime o karu <1> 中村 福助 nakamura fukusuke
Still to be determined is the relevance of some of the inset characters shown in the print to either the dance or the play.
To read more about the representations of Chūshingura in woodblock prints see the article on this site Chūshingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) in Woodblock Prints.
Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University Data
Entertainment name: 仮名手本忠臣蔵 kanadehon chuushinguraPlay cycle: 一番目 二番目大切
Played title: 仮名手本忠臣蔵 けいせゐ返魂香 kanadehonchuushingura keiseihangonkou
Performed Title: 道行 旅路の花婿 採筆恵の大津絵 michiyukitabijinohanamuko fudetoritemeguminoootsue
Performance Title: 仮名手本忠臣蔵 けいせゐ返魂香 道行 旅路の花婿 採筆恵の大津絵 仮名手本忠臣蔵 kanadehonchuushingura keiseihangonkou michiyukitabijinohanamuko fudetoritemeguminoootsue kanadehonchuushingura
Actor: こし元おかる koshi hajime o karu <1> 中村 福助 nakamura fukusuke
Interact, Michiyuki tabiji no hanamuko (Ochiudo) (“The Fugitives”)
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%ABshingura
This michiyuki or “travel-dance” was added to the play in 1833 and is very often performed separately. The dance depicts the lovers Okaru and Kanpei journeying to the home of Okaru’s parents in the country after Hangan’s death. Kanpei was the retainer who accompanied Hangan to the shogun’s mansion and he is now guilt ridden at his failure to protect his lord. He would take his own life to atone for his sin, but Okaru persuades him to wait. The couple are waylaid by the comical Sagisaki Bannai and his foolish men. They are working for Lord Moronō but Kanpei easily defeats them and they continue on their way.
Daikoku and Fukuroku Appear Again
In the same month the above print was published 1857 10th month (Ansei 4), Daikoku and Fukuroku appeared again in the below Kunisada print Ōtsu-e shosa no uchi – Daikoku, Fukuroku, showing Daikoku on a ladder shaving the top of Fukuroku's head.
Utagawa, Toyokuni III, 1786-1865, Artist
Koshihajime Okaru (こし元おかる)
Nakamura Fukusuke I as Fukurokuju
(福ろく)
Bandō Mitsugorō VI as Masarukoku
(大こく)
(Source: Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University)Ichikawa Ichizô III as Hayano Kampei
(早野勘平)
Nakamura Fukusuke I as Hisago tan saru (瓢たん 猿)Nakamura Fukusuke I as Fuji Musume
(藤娘)Nakamura Kantarō I, as Sagisaka Bannai (鷺坂伴内)
Nakamura Fukusuke I as Okonai retsu Yakko 行れつ奴 (left top)Nakamura Fukusuke I as Sendou (船頭)
Daikoku and Fukuroku Appear Again
In the same month the above print was published 1857 10th month (Ansei 4), Daikoku and Fukuroku appeared again in the below Kunisada print Ōtsu-e shosa no uchi – Daikoku, Fukuroku, showing Daikoku on a ladder shaving the top of Fukuroku's head.
The UCSF Japanese Woodblock Print Collection
Utagawa, Toyokuni III, 1786-1865, Artist
Date:1857
http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/hb6000098c/?query=kunisada&query-join=and&brand=woodblock
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #515 |
| Title | The dance Michiyuki tabiji no hanamuko, an interact in the play Kanadehon Chūshingura こし元おかる koshi hajime o karu 福ろくfuku ro ku 大こくmasaru koku |
| Artist | Utagawa Kunisada I (1786–1865) |
| Signature | Toyokuni ga 豊国画 within Toshidama cartouche 年玉枠 |
| Seal | oblong date seal reading date seal reading 1857 10th month (Ansei 4) and round 'aratame' seal (改 'aratame' or 'approved') |
| Publication Date |  |
| Publisher |  |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | good |
| Condition | fair - slightly rubbed and soiled; minor color fading; minor marks and flaws |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; yakusha-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 5/8 x 9 3/4 (37.1 x 24.8 cm) |
| Collections This Print | Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University UP1948 |
| Reference Literature | |
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