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Ne Brigade, Ninth Group, Nekomatabashi: Actor Ichinokawa Ichizô (Ichikawa Ichizô III) as Inumura Daikaku, from the series Flowers of Edo and Views of Famous Places (Edo no hana meishô-e)


「江戸廼花名勝会 ね 九番組」 「猫又橋」 「犬村大角 市の川市蔵」(三代目)
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786–1864)
Other artist: Katsushika Isai (Japanese, 1821–1880)
Other artist: Katsushika Hokuen (Japanese, active 1860s)
Publisher: Katôya Iwazô (Seibei) (Japanese)
Blockcutter: Ôta Komakichi (Hori Koma, Hori Tashichi) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
1864 (Bunkyû 4/Genji 1), 2nd month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 36.3 x 24.8 cm (14 5/16 x 9 3/4 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.45159
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

DescriptionMFA impressions: 11.21819, 11.45159

The term “flowers of Edo” (Edo no hana) can refer, among other things, to fires. The title panel for each print in this series shows the lanterns and identifying standard (matoi) for one of the brigades of firefighters (hikeshi) assigned to various districts. On the west side of the Sumida River were 48 brigades named for the symbols of the kana syllabary and grouped into 8 numbered groups (1 to 10, minus the bad-luck numbers 4 and 7). On the east side of the river, brigades were numbered and assigned to directional groups. Outlying districts were covered by special brigades, here designated “extra” (bangai). Each title gives the name or number of a brigade, its group, and its district, followed by the kabuki scene chosen to match it.
Signed Toyokuni ga, in toshidama cartouche (bottom right); Isai ga (top); Manjirô Hokuen ga (bottom left)
豊国画(年玉枠)、為斎画、卍楼北園画
Marks Censor's seal: Rat 2 aratame
Blockcutter's mark: Hori Ôta Tashichi
改印:子二改
彫師:彫太田多七
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: 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.