The actors Bandō Takesaburō as Oguri Sōtan, Iwai Kumesaburō III as Okoma and Onoe Kikujirō II as Kohagi in the play Sekai no hana Oguri gaiden

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Bandō Takesaburō as Oguri Sōtan, Iwai Kumesaburō III as Okoma, and Onoe Kikujirō II as Kohagi

in the play Sekai no hana Oguri gaiden

by Utagawa Kunisada, 1851

The actors Ōtani Tomoemon IV, Bandō Shuka I, Nakayama Bungorō II, Bandō Kichiya and Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII (in the play Akegarasu Hana no Nureginu)

IHL Cat. #768

About This Print

From right to left, the actors Bandō Takesaburō as Oguri Sōtan (actually Kaneuji), Iwai Kumesaburō III as Manchō's daughter (musume) Okoma, and Onoe Kikujirō II As Kohagi (actually princess Terute) in the play Sekai no hana Oguri gaiden (Worldly Flowers, an Oguri Anecdote), performed at Edo's Nakamura Theatre 中村 in the 4th month of 1851, from an untitled series of horizontal actor prints, created c. 4th month of 1851.

The Play Sekai no hana Oguri gaiden

I have not been able to find any English language reference to the plot of this play, but the story may be based upon the didactic story (kōdan) Oguri Hangwan Ichidaiki (Biography of theCouncillor Oguri) which contains the same characters as pictured in this print.

Other Prints Depicting This Play

This play must have been a popular one as Kunisada created several prints for different publishers depicting it, two examples of which are shown below.

 
Right panel: 小栗宗丹 <1> 坂東　竹三郎
Center panel:  万長娘お駒 <3> 岩井　粂三郎
Left panel:  小萩 実てる手姫 <2> 尾上　菊次郎
Center Pa
Play's title: 世界花小栗外伝 せかいのはなおぐりがいでん
Date of Performance: 嘉永０４ (.1851)・04・
Artist: 豊国〈3)
[Publisher: Yamamotoyo Heikichi]
 The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University
101-1547, 1548, 1549
 
Actors Bandô Takesaburô I as Oguri Sôtan
and Iwai Kumesaburô III as
Manchô's Daughter (Musume) Okoma
「小栗宗丹」初代坂東竹三郎、
「万長娘おこま」三代目岩井粂三郎
1851 (Kaei 4), 4th month
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)
Publisher: Enshûya Hikobei
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 11.40786

The Actors Pictured in This Collection's Print

For profiles of the actors depicted in this print please see the article The Kabuki Actor.


Print Details

 IHL Catalog #768
 Title 
 Actors Bandō Takesaburō (坂東竹三郎) as Oguri Sōtan ( 小栗宗丹), Iwai Kumesaburō III (岩井粂三郎) as Manchō's daoughter (musume) Okoma (万長娘お駒) and, Onoe Kikujirō II (尾上菊次郎) as Kohagi, actually princess Terute (小萩 実ハてるて姫) [in the play Sekai no hana Oguri gaiden (世界花小栗外伝)]
 Series n/a
 Artist 
 Utagawa Kunisada I (1786–1865)
 Signature 
Toyokuni ga 豊国画 within Toshidama cartouche 年玉枠


 Seal Toshidama 年玉
 Publication Date c. April 1851 [嘉永 04 (1851), 4th month (date play was performed)]
 Publisher
ko 小 seal of Suharaya Shinbei 須原屋 新兵衛[Marks: seal 08-080; pub. ref. 491]

 Carver unknown
 Impression excellent
 Colors excellent
 Condition good - light soiling and wrinkling throughout; not backed
 Genre ukiyo-e; yakusha-e
 Miscellaneous
Mera 米良 and Watanabe 渡辺 double nanushi censor seals of 1851 and shita-uri シタ売 seal 
 Format horizontal oban
 H x W Paper 9 7/8 x 13 7/8 (25.1 x 35.2 cm) 
 H x W Image 8 7/8 x 13 5/8 (22.5 x 34.6 cm)
 Collections This Print Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University AcNo.arcUP4096 CoGNo.arcUP4096 AlGNo.arcUP4096; Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of WasedaUniversity 101-1546

 Reference Literature