Comment - Kabuki scene from the Tale of the Soga Brothers from the stageplay "Irifune Soga nihon no torikaji" ("入船曽我和取檝第一ばん") that gives the original title of this print. Soga Goro Tokimune and his friend, the strongman Asahina are set against a skyline with a yakko-dako or footman kite flying overhead. The top shows an elaborate bokashi shading for the blue sky.  At lower right, Soga Goro grimaces angrily at his companion, who tilts his head slyly as he points at his mouth. Behind them, a pagoda and the roof of a temple rise above trees in dark silhouette. Cherry trees with white blossoms and two swallows are both indicating springtime. The yakko kite is suspended from a rod above the stage, his sleeves stretched out like wings.

Actors are Nakamura Fukusuke I (as Kobayashi no Asahina), Ichikawa Danzo VI (as Soga Goro Tokimune), and Ichikawa Ichizo III (as Yakko).

The titles of this woodblock and series are given in the white casette on the upper left.


Series - "List of Titles of Dance Forms" (Odori Keiyo Gaidai Zukushi, 踊形容外題尽)


Artist - see Biography


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


Publisher - Minatoya Kihei  ( 湊屋小兵衛) in the long stretched cassette on the lower left margin, together with censors seal  above  


Image Size -  36.0 x 23.7 cm (14 1/5" x  9 2/6) with margins


Condition - single panel; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical chuban (chuban tate-e);