Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

1786-1865

Onoe Kikugoro III as Hanegawa Takekage, Nakamura Utaemon IV as Sosoro, and Onoe Eizaburo III as Kuretake

signed on each sheet, Gototei Kunisada ga, with censor's kiwame seal, and publisher's seal Waka (Wakasaya Yoichi), ca. 1838

oban tate-e triptych 14 7/8 by 29 3/4 in., 37.7 by 75.7 cm

At center, the actor Nakamura Utaemon IV (1796-1852) in the role of Sosoro prepares a short tanto sword for a ritual suicide, to the right, Onoe Kikugoro III (Okawa Hashizo I, 1784-1849) stands wearing ceremonial clothing of a samurai in the role of Hanegawa Takekage, while to the left, Kikugoro's adoptive son and son-in-law, Onoe Eizaburo III (Onoe Kikugoro IV, 1808-1860) in the female role of Kuretake leans anxiously forward. The scene is from the drama Sanmon hitome Senbon performed at the Nakamura Theater in the 3rd lunar month of 1838.

References:
Waseda University Theatre Museum, ref. nos. 101-0723; 101-0724; 101-0725
The Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) Project, (kunisda.de), kabuki plays from 1838

(inv. no. 10-5379)

price: $1,100