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Festival Dance at Nihonbashi Bridge in the Eastern Capital (Tôto Nihonbashi, omatsuri no odori): Actor Ichikawa Ebizô V as Tokimune, from the series The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidô Road (Kisokaidô rokujûkyû eki)


「木曽六十九駅 東都日本橋 御祭ノ踊 時致」 五代目市川海老蔵
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786–1864)
Publisher: Daikyû (Japanese)
Blockcutter: Yokokawa Takejirô (Hori Take)
Japanese
Edo period
1852 (Kaei 5), 10th month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 37.2 x 25.9 cm (14 5/8 x 10 3/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.17320
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Gifu-ken Hakubutsukan, Shichidaime Danjûrô to Kunisada, Kuniyoshi (2001), #110-1
DescriptionStation 01.

MFA impressions: 11.17320, 11.29210

From an unidentified Soga Brothers play, the impetuous younger brother Soga Gorô Tokimune. The very elaborate costume shown is used for the scene of Gorô sharpening an arrow, known as Yanone Gorô, or for the armor-pulling scene (Kusazuribiki) at Wada's Banquet (Wada no Sakamori). The suit of armor, sake-warming kettle, and giant sake cup in the border of the title cartouche suggest the latter, while the plum branch and New year decorations are a reminder that Soga plays were generally performed at New Year.
Signed Toyokuni ga, in toshidama cartouche
豊国画(年玉枠)
Marks Censors' seals: Fuku, Muramatsu, Rat 10
Blockcutter's mark: Hori Take
Printer's mark: Ô-Hisa
改印:福、村松、子十
彫師:彫竹
摺師:大久
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.