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The Popular Children's Word Game of Continuous Phrases (Ryûkô shiritori kodomo monku): Actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV (R), Sawamura Tanosuke III (C), and Nakamura Shikan IV (L)


「流行しりとり子どももんく」四代目市村家橘  三代目沢村田之助  四代目中村芝翫
Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese, 1835–1900)
Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke (Kaijudô) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
1867 (Keiô 3), 1st month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban triptych; 36.2 × 72.5 cm (14 1/4 × 28 9/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.41859a-c
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Waseda db 007-0507 (R), 007-0509 (L)
Description"Shiritori" is a word game that involves taking the last syllable of the previous word as the first syllable of the next word in the series.
Signed Kunichika hitsu (on each sheet)
国周筆
Marks Censor's seal: Hare 1 aratame
Blockcutter's mark: Katada Hori Chô
改印:卯正改
彫師:片田彫長
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.