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Actors Bandô Shûka (Bandô Mitsugorô VI) and Ichimura Kakitsu IV in an Imagined Version of a Climactic Scene (?) in the Play Konezumi no Chûji (Mitate Konezumi no Chûji kyokuba)


「見立 小鼠の忠次極場ヵ」 「坂東志うか」(六代目坂東三津五郎)、「市村家橘」(四代目)
Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese, 1835–1900)
Publisher: Ôtaya Takichi (Hori Takichi) (Japanese)
Blockcutter: Ôta Komakichi (Hori Koma, Hori Tashichi) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
1864 (Bunkyû 4/Genji 1), 4th month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 37.3 × 25.3 cm (14 11/16 × 9 15/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.21903
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

DescriptionPlay: Kazusa Momen Komon no Hitoeji
上総綿小紋単地(かずさもめんこもんのひとえじ )

The print may be advance publicity for a planned future performance at the Ichimura Theater, where these two actors were appearing at the time of publication. However, all three of the top Edo theaters were closed temporarily following a fire on 4.22. The play was eventually produced in 1865.8, but at the Nakamura Theater and with different actors.

出版の年、図の役者は市村座に出勤しているが、4月22日火事のため三座類焼の記録から、4月か5月に市村座で上演が予定されていたものと思われる。なお、この狂言は慶応1年(1865)8月中村座で、他の役者によって上演されている。
Signed Kunichika ga
国周画
Marks Censor's seal: Rat 4 aratame (mirror-image reversed)
Blockcutter's mark: Horikô Tashichi
改印:子四改
彫師:彫工多七
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.