Comment - Unusual tryptych of several
kabuki actors on different
kites. For the kites and the actors, please refer to the
following table:
panel
|
kite
|
kite type
|
Kite Remarks
|
actor
|
remark
(kabuki rôle)
|
right
|
1
|
Edo
kite
|
the Edo Kites on this woodblock print
are mostly 'Edo Kaku'
Kites
|
Ichikawa Kodanji IV (四代目市川小団次)
|
as Wada
Yoshimori (和田義盛) |
|
2
|
Fukushima kite
|
Coat-of-Arms Kite
(Monshō-tako), also Fukushima Kite (福島凧 or Sword kite
(Ken tako, 剣凧); five angled kite, bridled like a small
Edo Kite. |
Bandô Hikosaburô V
(五代目坂東彦三郎)
|
as Gorô Tokimune
(五郎時宗) |
|
2
|
|
|
Iwai Kumesaburô III
(三代目]岩井粂三郎)
|
as Wada Minazuru
(和田舞鶴)
|
|
3
|
Edo
kite |
'Edo
Kaku', upper part with Japanese characters;
lower part with several crests
|
none |
|
|
4
|
Takamatsu Kite |
resembles a Takamatsu
Tako ( 高松凧) or Fukusuke kite (Fukusuke tako, 福助凧)
|
Ichikawa Danzô VI
(六代目市川団蔵)
|
as Oniô Shinzaemon
(鬼王新左衛門) |
center
|
5
|
Fan
kite
|
unidentified crest
|
none
|
|
|
6
|
Edo kite |
'Edo Kaku'; contains
KUNISADA's Otoshidama (center left of the kite)
|
Iwai Kumetarô III
(三代目岩井粂三郎)
lower, with sword)
|
as Ôiso no Tora
(大磯ノ虎) |
|
6
|
|
|
Ichikawa Ichizô III
(三代目市川市蔵) (upper with headgear)
|
as Soga Sukenari
(曽我祐成)
|
|
7
|
|
resembles a Takamatsu Tako ( 高松凧) or
Fukusuke kite (Fukusuke tako, 福助凧); several feather
fletchings from lower part of arrow |
Nakamura Tsuruzô I (初代中村鶴蔵) |
as Kajiwara Kagesue (梶原景季)
|
|
8
|
Edo kite |
'Edo Kaku' |
Ichikawa Kodanji IV
四代目市川小団次)
|
as Gorômaru (五郎丸)
|
|
8
|
|
|
unidentified actor
|
as Minamoto
no Yoritomo (源ノ頼朝)
|
left
|
9
|
Edo
kite |
'Edo
Kaku' |
Nakamura Kamenojô I (初代中村歌女之丞) ,
|
as Tegoshi no Shôshô (手越少々)
|
|
9
|
|
|
unidentified actor (kneeling)
|
as a Kamakura Daimyô (鎌倉大名)
|
|
10
|
Yokosuka kite |
the frame is a
Yokosuka kite (yokosuka, 横須賀 Yokosuka); the kite also
resembles a Shitadashisanbasō tako (舌出し三番叟凧) without
the tongue
|
Nakamura Fukusuke I
(初代中村福助) |
as Kudô Suketsune
(工藤祐経) |
|
11
|
Yakko
kite |
Yakko, Yakko tako (奴, 奴凧) |
Ichikawa Kuzô III (三代目市川九蔵)
|
as Asahina
Saburô (朝比奈三郎) |
The order of sheets is uncertain. The small upper rim depicts
the sky, an has has a light
bokashi
shading.
Series - ~
Artist - see
Biography
Signature - "Kunisada ga" ("国貞画"), in yellow
otoshidama cartouche
(right panel, lower right) and red otoshidama (center panel on
kite no. 6),
and "Baichôrô Kunisada
ga" ("梅蝶楼" "国貞画"), in two overlapping otoshidama cartouches on
left panel lower left
Publisher - Tsutaya Kichizô (蔦吉), (Kôeidô publisher's,
紅栄堂) on all three panels; oviform white censor's seals
(aratame改印): snake 11 ( miyazaki, 巳十一) on all panels,
and circular year's seals on
all panels
Image Size - 35.5 × 25 cm (14" × 9" 13/16) each panel
Condition - three single sheets (typtych); nishiki-e
(cloured woodblock); all vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);