Comment - Kabuki star Ichikawa Danjuro depicts the role of a young girl ("娘"), called "Omiwa" ("於三輪"), written in the pink top center cassette. She is holding a bobbin, also used as a classical kite spool. In this print Danjuro Ichikawa plays the young Omiwa from the play "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", about the "Taika coup d'etat" of 645. The plot centres around love, suicide and palace intrigue. Omiwa is the daughter of a sake shop owner who is in love with Tankei, a hero and warrior who is protecting the elderly Emperor. Through intrigue, Tankei marries the princess Tachibana. Omiwa, tormented by jealousy is killed so that her blood may be used in a potion to assassinate the tyrant Iruka. Her reward is that she may be united with Tankei in the afterlife. Omiwa is pictured with a kite spool of white cotton that she has attached to Tankei in order to follow him and discover his real identity. The theme of 'Omiwa' is also displayed by Kuniyoshi. Other displays of kite reels may be found at Hokkei, or elsewere at Kunichika on different prints, at Kunisada or at Shuntei.

The upper left cassette contains a Haikai, a linked poetic verse for describing the theme of the woodblock print.

Series -  "100 Kabuki Roles by Ichikawa Danjuro" ("Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei hyaku-ban", "市川団十郎演芸百番") show 100 roles of the famous kabuki actor "Ichikawa Danjūrō" (IX). The series title is written in the upper right cassette. Ichikawa Danjūrō-IX belonged to the triumvirate of stars who dominated the Kabuki world during the Meiji era. The two others stars were Onoe Kikugorō-V and Ichikawa Sadanji-I.


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "KUNICHIKA hitsu" ("国周筆", "drawn by KUNICHIKA") (white cassette, lower left side) with his red ring seal (toshidama-shirushi, "年玉印").


Publisher - Fukuda Hatsujiro (福田 初次郎) Gusokuya Publisher's (具足屋); carver: Nisei Hori Ei (二卋 彫栄) (lower right margin)


Image Size - 25.5 x 36.5 cm   (10 3/64" x 14 2/8) plus margins as shown


Condition - single panel; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);