Comment - Kabuki portrait of kabuki star Bandō Hikosaburō (坂東　彦三郎) (V) (1832-1877) as a boat man standing on a dock. Only the keel of the boat is to be seen at the left. He is looking up at a bird kite (Tori tako, 鳥凧) caught in the branches of a pine tree overhead. The beautiful kite is made in the shape of a feather robe, a reference to the Noh play "Hagoromo" ("The Feather Robe"), which was later adapted as a kabuki dance-drama. He stares up at it with a slight frown as he adjusts a blue cloth over his shoulder. In his other hand he carries a wooden box with two drawers, obviously a bento-box (lunch box) from "Otowaya" Ryokan, a typical 19th century kind of "product placement". The boatman wears a yukata with blue and gray geometric print, tucked up at the waist for easier movement.

The title is featured in the red-white-green cartouche. Fine bokashi shading in the background. This sheet is the center panel of a  triptych, titled "Kite and Courtesan" (see above).


Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "Toyokuni ga" ("豊国 画"), in streched oval brownish-red toshidama cartouche (Otoshidama-in, 年玉印),


Publisher - Dai Kuya Kinjirō <Taikokuya Kinjiro> (大国屋金治郎)


Image Size - 36.2 X 24.8 cm (14 1/4" x 9 3/4")


Condition - single panel, centerpart of a tryptich (see above); nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);