Lot Essay
PUBLISHED
Eiko Kondo and Juzo Suzuki, Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e Prints from the Schindler Collection (Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shimbun/Japan Ukiyo-e Society, 1985), pl. 2
Kondo and Suzuki note Kiyomasu flourished between 1695 and 1716. Ichikawa Danjuro died on the 19th day of the second month 1704. Between 1695 and 1704 Danjuro acted three times with Koshiro. The first occasion was in a performance of Shitenno yome kagami at the Morita theater in 11/1696. He also performed as Araoka Genta in the play Tenchi hitotzutsu no kami at the Morita theater in 11/1702. Koshiro played Gosho Goromaru. On the last occasion he performed as Ishiyama Gentazaemon Nobutada in the play Genji rokujo at the Ichimura theater in 11/1703 and in early 1704. Koshiro played Hakken no oji.
It is difficult to identify exactly which play is being shown but it seems likely that it was the 1702 performance. In 1696 Koshiro was still a boy and was not successful until 1701. According to extant kabuki records Danjuro wore a large hat in the third performance, not shown here. There is not definite evidence, however, and this print may depict either an imaginary theatrical scene or an unrecorded performance.
Eiko Kondo and Juzo Suzuki, Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e Prints from the Schindler Collection (Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shimbun/Japan Ukiyo-e Society, 1985), pl. 2
Kondo and Suzuki note Kiyomasu flourished between 1695 and 1716. Ichikawa Danjuro died on the 19th day of the second month 1704. Between 1695 and 1704 Danjuro acted three times with Koshiro. The first occasion was in a performance of Shitenno yome kagami at the Morita theater in 11/1696. He also performed as Araoka Genta in the play Tenchi hitotzutsu no kami at the Morita theater in 11/1702. Koshiro played Gosho Goromaru. On the last occasion he performed as Ishiyama Gentazaemon Nobutada in the play Genji rokujo at the Ichimura theater in 11/1703 and in early 1704. Koshiro played Hakken no oji.
It is difficult to identify exactly which play is being shown but it seems likely that it was the 1702 performance. In 1696 Koshiro was still a boy and was not successful until 1701. According to extant kabuki records Danjuro wore a large hat in the third performance, not shown here. There is not definite evidence, however, and this print may depict either an imaginary theatrical scene or an unrecorded performance.