Comment - Kabuki triptych combining scenes from many different plays. At upper left, atop the tiled roof,  actor Nakamura Sōjūrō-I (中村宗十郎) as Inudzuka Shino (犬塚信乃) battles actor Ichikawa Udanji (市川右団次) as Inukai Genpachi 犬飼現八). Below, a Yakko ("奴凧, "yakko-dako") or man kite played by Nakamura Kangorō-XII (中村勘五郎) floats in the sky, looking down at the mustached Nakamura Tokizō (中村時蔵) as Yobaiboshi (夜這星) sitting on a cloud. Iwai Matsunosuke (岩井松之助) as Iwafuji-no-rei (岩藤ノ霊) with her umbrella watches him.

In the center, floating atop the roof, Onoe Kikugoro-V (尾上菊五郎) appears as the evil cat witch (Saganokaibyō, 佐賀ノ怪猫), flying through the sky with her long hair and robes trailing after her. The shapeshifting magic Ninja Ogata Jiraiya (尾形児雷也) represented by actor Ichikawa Danjūrō (市川団十郎) with a lavender kanji kimono is holding a magic wand. Actor Nakamura Fukusuke (中村福助) sits beneath him, representing DenMaiHime (田毎姫) in the female rôle of Princess Tagoto (田毎姫 or たごとひめ).

The right panel contains the red-white-green title cassette. Onoe Kikugorō-V (尾上菊五郎) as the Thunder God KaminariNoChūNori (雷ノ中乗り) is sitting atop a light lavender cloud, smoking a pipe. Nakamura Shikan-IV (中村芝翫) as the notorious robber Ishikawa Gouemon (石川五右エ門), wearing a black robe over armor trimmed with fringe. Sawamura Kiraku (沢村喜楽) as Torite (とりて) stays next to him, with his right arm raised, holding a sword. Huddling behind him is Ichikawa Danpachi (市川団八) as Hoshu Atama (捕手頭). Sawamura Tanosuke-III (沢村田之助) as Keijuin (慶寿院) is hudling on the front stage next to Nakamura Shikan IV. On the crest next to the title cassette, Ichikawa Sadanji (市川左団次) as Nihon-da Migi E-mon or Nippon Daemon (日本駄右エ門) is mentioned as the infamous gang leader. An incredible image packed with lively characters in vibrant colors, gathering all kabuki stars of it's time.

 
Series - Pride of the Empire (Kōkoku jiman, 皇国自慢)


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  "Toyohara Kunichika hitzu" ("豊原国周筆", drawn by Toyohara Kunichika) on left panel between the legs of the Yakko kite, lower left (white cassette) with his red ring seal (Otoshidama-in 年玉印)


Publisher - Fukuda Tamotsu (福田保)


Image Size - 71.1 X  35.6 cm (28" x 14") + margins as shown


Condition - triptych, three single panels; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);