Comment - The title of the tetraptych is written in the red cassette on the upper left panel "奴凧平"). The theme is a kabuki scene from the stage play "Tegoshi Kise River" ("Tegoshi Kise-gawa", "手越喜瀬川"), as stated in the yellow cassette, lower left panel. Young pine trees dot the landscape behind the scene, reminding kadomatsu trees, thus hinting to the New Year season.

A flying Yakko or man kite ("yakko-dako", "奴凧"), played by kabuki star Ichikawa Ichizō-III (市川市蔵) is floating in the sky. He wears the distinctive clothing of a yakko or low ranking servant, a kimono with a striped collar and a diamond crest on the shoulders, his sword tucked in the obi behind him. The Yakko carries a funny bag with two eyes and suggested bird-of-prey beak on a kind of wooly head, maybe depicting a head of an owl. The bag is tied with simple cords to his right shoulder. The Yakko hangs in the air, his sleeves extended like wings, looking down with a frown. While in the air, three geese are crossing below him.

The kite is tied to the yakko kite, the line extending over the lower right selvage to the kabuki character Kobayashi Asahina ('小林 朝比奈') on the lower right panel. Kabuki star Nakamura Fukusuke-I (中村福助) plays the character 'Kobayshi Asahina' ('小林 朝比奈') as written on the yellow cassette right panel, upper left side, as written on the red cassette right panel, on the pine tree.. Strongman Asahina looks up with concentration as he lets out the string. A spool lying on the ground beside him. Asahina is instantly recognizable because of his kumadori or "monkey make-up" and black robe patterned with medallions of cranes with outstretched wings and blossoming plum branches. The crane is the traditional crest of Asahina. He also wears dotted socks and sandals with fuzzy red straps.

The lower left panel shows a beauty with a smile watching her her companion, actor Saemon Suketsune (左衛門祐経) aka Nakamura Shikan (中村芝翫), written in the red cassette. He seems to be alarmed, his eyes wide open. The actors are sitting on a lw bench, both having a sword tucked in their obi.

The same setting of panels of the Maruya edition shows swallows flying in the sky, and Mount Fuji in the background. The swallow (tsubame) comes from the south in spring, and leaves in autumn. Thus the swallow is the typical indicator for summer. This Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke edition shows geese flying in the sky, and no sketch of Mount Fuji. Geese especially when flying in triangular formation across the moon indicate autumn. Maybe the two different sets hint to the different theater seasons.

Series - "8 Pieces Collection" or "Hachi Mai-Soroi" (Yuika Ogawa Yukiyuki Omi - Kunihisa-ga Sandai-Toyokuni-ga - Hachi Mai-soroi, 濡衣女鳴神　近江八勇之内　国久画　三代豊国画　八枚揃) 


Artist - see Biography


Signature - Toyokuni-ga (豊国 画), in streched oval brownish-red toshidama cartouche (Otoshidama-in, 年玉印), on all panels; date and censor seals above otoshidamas on all panels


Publisher - Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke (辻岡屋文助), (Kinshōdō publishing, 松堂), white seal next to the Otoshidama on all panels


Image Size - 39.1 x 23.8cm (15 3/8" x 9 3/8") (each panel)


Condition - single panels (three parts of a tetraptych); nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);