The Revenge of Iinuma Katsugorô

飯沼勝五郎の敵討ち

Utagawa Kunisada II (Kunimasa III, Toyokuni IV) (Japanese, 1823–1880)
Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyûdô) (Japanese)

Japanese

Edo period

1847–52 (Kôka 4–Kaei 5)

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

Dimensions Vertical ôban triptych; 36.7 × 74.2 cm (14 7/16 × 29 3/16 in.)

Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection

Accession Number11.38786a-c

NOT ON VIEW

CollectionsAsia, Prints and Drawings

ClassificationsPrints

DescriptionThe story of the play Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi. Thanks to the prayers of his wife Hatsuhana in the Shirataki waterfall in the mountains of Hakone (right sheet), Katsugorô (left sheet, in background) is miraculously healed of his disability and, with the help of his brother-in-law Fudesuke (center) is able to kill the villains responsible for the death of his older brother.

Signed Kôchôrô monjin Kunimasa ga (on right sheet), Ichijusai Kunimasa ga (on center sheet), Kunimasa ga (on left sheet)
一寿斎国政画

Marks Censors' seals: Muramatsu, Yoshimura
No blockcutter's mark
改印：村松、吉村
彫師：なし

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.