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Actors at Matsushima, from right: (1) Ichikawa Udanji I, (2) Nakamura Sôjûrô, (3) Onoe Taganojô II, (4) Arashi Rikan IV, (5) Bandô Jûtarô III, (6) Nakamura Fukusuke III, (7) Jitsukawa Enjaku I


見立松島の遊女 「市川右団二」(初代)「一」  「中村宗十郎」「二」  「尾上多賀ノ丞」(二代目)「三」  「嵐璃寛」(四代目)「四」  「坂東寿太郎」(三代目)「五」   「中村福助」(三代目)「六」  「実川延若」(初代)「七」
Ichiyôtei Yoshitaki (Japanese, 1841–1899)
Publisher: Awaya Bunzô (Japanese)
Japanese
Meiji era
1873 (Meiji 6), about June

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink, color and metallic pigment on paper
Dimensions Vertical chûban heptaptych; 24 x 124.4 cm (9 7/16 x 49 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.35543a-g
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Kitagawa, "Bosuton bijutsukan shozô Kamigata-e mokuroku" (Kansai daigaku, 2007), p. 121; Ikeda bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shûsei, vol. 5 (2005), #456 (one sheet only)
DescriptionThe Matsushima licensed pleasure quarter opened in 1869 near the Osaka harbor. In this imaginary scene, famous actors of female roles pose as Matsushima courtesans.
Signed Yoshitaki hitsu (on each sheet)
芳瀧筆
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)

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.