Comment - Kabuki portrait of a street knight (otokodate) looking over his shoulder with a worried frown. His kimono is covered with an intriguing design featuring a yakko-dako or man kite, an octopus kite (Tako-tako, 鮹凧) with a headband and fan, and three Edo kites, as well as a fan kite, and part of a bird-of-prey kite on his left shoulder. At upper right, the title cartouche takes the form of a book, with a text panel on an open book next to it. A great expressive figure, detailed with delicate cloth embossing in the blue and white towel wrapped around his neck and burnishing in the black kimono collar. Includes a dusting of mica across the top of the night sky.

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Yurakura (市川市蔵) is in the role of Harizo (播蔵). He is one of the flamboyant "otokodate" (chivalrous man, compare to "ninja").


Series - "Harbingers of Spring (lit. 'Plum Calendar'), Portrait of Eight Famous People" (Umegoyomi, Mitate Hatsu Shojin; 梅暦, 見立八勝人)


Artist - see Biography


Signature - Toyokuni-ga (豊国 画), in streched oval brownish-red toshidama cartouche (Otoshidama-in, 年玉印); yellow blockcutter seal (Yokokawa Hori Take, 横川彫竹); circular censor's seal (Goat 11 aratame, 未十一改)


Publisher - Ebisuya Shōshichi (恵比須屋 庄七) black and white seal next to the Otoshidama


Image Size - 35.6 x 24.8cm (14" x 9 3/4")+ left margin as shown


Condition - single panels (maybe part of a tetraptych); nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);