Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

1786-1865

Mirrors for Collage Pictures in the Modern Style: Nakamura Shikan IV as Shirabyoshi Sakurako
(Imayo oshi-e kagami: Shirabyoshi Sakurako)

signed Toyokuni ga within his Toshidama cartouche, carver's mark hori Take (Yokokawa Takejiro), publisher's seal Shorindo (Fujiokaya Keijiro of Shorindo), with combined censor and date seal Saru-uru, aratame (year of the monkey [1860], examined)

oban tate-e 15 1/2 by 10 7/8 in., 39.5 by 27.5 cm

This print is from a series featuring actors viewed as a reflection from a black and gold framed bronze mirror accompanied by a poem in their own hand. The actor Nakamura Fukusuke I (Nakamura Shikan IV, 1831-1899) in the role of Shirabyoshi Sakurako, from the dance skit Edo-ganoko Ninin Dojo-ji from the finale of Part I of the play Yayoi-zakura Hisago no Makubari.

Reference:
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (www.mfa.org), from the Bigelow Collection, accession nos. 00.807 and 11.40949

(inv. no. 10-4636)

price: Sold