Comment - Dramatic kabuki scene of a young warrior threatening to kill a boy with his sword. The boy and his mother were out on the beach to fly a kite, when accidently touching the warrior. The warrior raises the sword high above the boy's head, a crazed look in his eyes as the mother pleads with him to stop. The child looks up at him meekly, turning his face away in fright. A samurai at right throws out his hand in a stopping gesture, strange bumps like horns visible on the top of his head. Waves crash on the shore behind them, adding to the drama of the scene. The blue Edo kite ("Edo-tako", "江戸凧") carries white kanji ("ji tako", 江戸"字凧").

The names of the kabuki artists are within the violet-white-green casettes, their roles are written in the adjacent yellow-white cartouches. main characters from right to left as written in the violet-white-green casettes: Ichikawa Sadanji (市川左団次) with horns on his head as the double horned night ghost Oniyoruso (鬼夜双), Ichikawa Danjuro (市川団十郎) with sword, Nakamura Fukusuke (中村福助) as boy's mother. Nearly the same kabuki scene is to be found at Chikanobu's 'Tametomo, Drawing his Sword'.


Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  "from the brush of Baido Kunisada" ("Baido Kunisada-hitzu", "梅 堂 国貞 筆") in the white cartouche with the red Otoshidama ring at upper right panel


Publisher - Yokoyama Ryōhachi (横山良八)


Image Size - 69.9 x  34.6 cm (27 1/2" x 13 5/8")


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