Katsukawa SHUN’EI (1762-1819)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Segawa Kikunojo III in an unidentified onnagata role adjusting her hair in a mirror. Shun’ei was a gifted pupil of Katsukawa Shunsho. Designed many hosobans but also some fine bust portraits and was possibly the originator of this type of print. Published by Emiya Kichiemon c early 1790s. (This publisher is said to have been the first to exploit the kento mark for keying blocks.) Another impression is in the MFA Boston, 21.5998.     Fine impression and colour. Slight toning, otherwise very good condition. Signed Shun’ei ga.     Status: Sold    

Katsukawa SHUNSHO (1726-1792)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Otani Hiroemon III in an unidentified role leaning forward with a sword in his mouth. Shunsho was a prolific designer of actor prints as well as views of the green room, wrestlers and bijin. He also collaborated with Kitao Shigemasa on the fine Seiro bijin awase sugata kagami of 1776. Published c 1770. Another (partially faded) impression is in the MFA Boston, 21.4148. A fine design.     Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Shunsho ga with Hayashi/tsubo seal.     Status: Sold    

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. An okubi-e showing the actor Arashi Hinasuke I as Fujiwara no Shihei. This was the Minister of the Left, the antagonist, in Sugawara denju tenarai kagami, “Sugawara’s Secrets of Calligraphy.” The set of “surimono-style” prints were published by Ebisuya Shoshichi between 1860 and 1869, the last 12 being by Yoshitora, and only 60 being completed by Kunisada before he died. The set is technically of the highest order and a fitting tribute to his life.     Fine impression with extensive burnishing. Very good colour and condition. Signed Nanajuhassai Toyokuni ga, “At the age of seventy-eight.”     Status: Sold    

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing from left to right the actors: Seki Sanjuro III as Nippon Daemon (above) and Ichimura Uzaemon XIII as Benten Kozo Kikunosuke. Centre: Nakamura Shikan IV as Nango Rikimaru. Right: Iwai Kumesaburo III as Akaboshi Juzaburo (above) and Kawarasaki Gonjuro I as Tadanobu Rihei. The group of five dandy-thieves in Aoto zoshi hana no nishiki-e or Shiranami gonin otoko. A famous play written by Kawatake Mokuami, this being the first performance at the Ichimura-za Theatre in 3 Published 3/1862 by Seibundo (Gifuya Seishichi). An extremely rare and early work: Not listed in Keyes.     Fine impression and colour. Slightly trimmed around, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi ga.     Status: Sold    

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

Click here to view image full size. Strange Wind from a set of actor prints Seiu kandankei, “A Barometer of Emotions.” A fine set published by Okura Magobei 1876-7. Shows Onoe Kikugoro V as the ghost of the cormorant fisherman Kansaku. He had poached fish from the sacred waters of the Isawa River and was caught and executed. His restless spirit caused Nichiren to pray for him and pacify the ghost. It was the subject of a famous play: Nichiren shonin minori no umi. Kikugoro was a personal friend of Yoshitoshi. One of Yoshitoshi’s best actor prints.     Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed (in kana) Oju Yoshitoshi hitsu.     Status: Sold    

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing two adversaries, the lower figure fighting off his opponent while seated on a fish trap in a stream. The upper figure is the actor Nakamura Sukegoro I as Kenkaya Goroemon and the lower is the actor Nakamura Utayemon I as Nonhyoko Kyubei. Published by Matsumura Yahei, c early 1760s. Good impression. Some slight browning and fading commensurate with the age of the print. Signed Torii Kiyomitsu ga. Status: Sold

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Otani Tomoemon V as Danshichi Kurobei, a fishmonger and an Osaka otokodate, in the drama Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami, “Summer Festival: Mirror of Osaka.” From an untitled set of large-head actor portraits published by Gusokuya Kahei, 1869. Based on actual events, the scene depicted here is from Act VII of the play where the heavily tattooed Danshichi has murdered his wife’s father, the untrustworthy Mikawaya Giheiji, and is pouring water from a bucket over himself to wash off the mud from the murder scene. Probably the best design from the set.   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Kunichika hitsu.   Status: Sold    

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Matsumoto Koshiro VI as the otokodate (a roguish yet honourable character) Daikokuya Soroku from a set Rien kyokaku-den, “The Story of a Chivalrous Man of the Theatrical World.” The set published by Hiranoya Shinzo (Hirashin) 1864. Soroku is the owner of a house of assignation called Daikokuya in the Shin-Yoshiwara. This is from the de-luxe edition employing only the finest pigments, block-cutting and printing. (The block-cutter was Ota Komakichi – highly regarded.) There are later editions without the embellishments. Some other late Kunisada sets have the same enrichments, such as the so-called Famous Actors Past and Present set.   Extremely fine impression on thick hosho with burnishing and kimetsubushi (or mokume-zuri) on the wooden box he is carrying. Extremely fine colour. Slight trimming, otherwise fine condition. Signed nanajukyu sai Toyokuni hitsu, “Drawn by the 78 year old Toyokuni.”   Status: Sold  

Kitao MASAYOSHI (1764-1824)

 Click here to view image full size. One volume complete Sansui ryakuga shiki, “Landscapes in the Cursive Picture Style.” Published by Suwaraya Ichibei, Kansei 12 ( 1800 ). This is the first edition. It was reprinted in 1813. I fine book and one of a series of influential books that he published using abbreviated images with a limited palette. Ex Hayashi collection ( large red seal ). Signed Keisai fude. A fine copy with original pale blue covers and white title slip. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.

Torii KIYONOBU II (1706-1763)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actors Ichimura Uzaemon VIII (above) and Segawa Kikujiro I in an onnagata role. Published by Emiya Kichiemon, c. 1746. Another impression in the MET (JP831), listed as Kiyonobu I.     Very good impression. Good colour and condition. Signed Torii Kiyonobu hitsu.     Status: Sold

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban benizuri-e print in beni, yellow and blue showing the actor Segawa Kikunojo II (bottom left) in the role of musume Kagekiyo and Ichimura Uzaemon IX (top right) as Osu…, possibly Osutoko. Musume means “daughter”, while Kagekiyo was the famous general of the Heike clan. However, if Kikunojo were playing Kagekiyo’s daughter then it would be written Kagekiyo musume. (His daughter was named Hitomaru and she does indeed feature in many plays about him.) But in this case, it perhaps refers to a female version of Kagekiyo’s daughter after all and it’s just written the other way round for some reason, then it would identify the performance and date nicely: the play would be Soga yawaragi Soga performed at the Ichimura-za Theatre in the 1st month of 1767. Published by Nishimura, Eijudo han. Extremely rare. (Many thanks to Paul Griffith for the elucidation above.)     Fine impression and colour. Slight vertical fold and small expertly restored wormhole near bottom edge. Signed Torii Kiyomitsu ga.     Status: Sold

Katsukawa SHUNSHO (1726-1792)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as a blacksmith forging a sword blade. An unidentified role published c. 1780.     Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Signed Shunsho ga.     Status: Sold

Utagawa KUNISADA II (1823-1880)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Segawa Kikunojo V in the role of Ama Myochin, the Cat Witch, from the set Hakkenden inu no soshi no uchi, the Eight Dog Heroes, published by Tsutaya Kichizo, 5 The play was premiered at the Ichimura-za Theatre, 1 This is the highlight of the play: The monstrous cat murders the father of the dog hero Inamura Kakutaro and then assumes his likeness. However, as shown here, its hairy body and giant claws can still be seen behind the bamboo curtain. The best design from the set.     Very fine impression with blind printing and burnishing. Fine colour and condition. This is the only full size impression I have seen as they almost always come from albums and are trimmed to the common denominator. Another (trimmed) impression is illustrated full page in Japanese Prints IV- Hiroshige and the Utagawa school – Rijksprentenkabinet/Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1984, no. 180, page 105. Signed Ichiyosai Kunisada ga.     Status: Sold

Utagawa TOYOKUNI I (1769-1825)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Nakamura Utaemon II playing two roles (out of seven), Nana yaku no uchi, which are: the Manzai street entertainer Tsuchiemon (seated) and Kudayu’s daughter Okumi, in the play Chushin koshaku performed at the Nakamura-za Theatre, 7     Very good impression and colour. Minor creasing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Toyokuni ga.     Status: Sold

Utagawa TOYOKUNI I (1769-1825)

Click here to view image full size. The actors Matsumoto Koshiro V (right) as the barber Nagata Taro; in reality Kamada Masakiyo, and Segawa Michinosuke I as Genkichi’s wife, Osoro; in reality Nagata’s younger sister, in the play Wakazakari Heike Monogatari, performed at the Ichimura-za Theatre, 11 Published by Hachi.     Very good impression and colour. Minor creasing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Toyokuni ga.     Status: Sold

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. A fine triptych showing the actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX in Shibaraku role. Kabuki juhachiban no uchi: shibaraku, “The Eighteen Famous Kabuki Plays: Shibaraku.” Published by Fukuda Kumajiro, 8 Illustrated on the front cover of Time Present and Time Past: Images of a Forgotten Master: Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900). Amy Reigle Newland. Hotei publishing, 1999.     Fine impression and colour. Album backing, otherwise fine condition. Signed Oju Kunichika hitsu.     Status: Sold

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing the actor Onoe Baiko III in the role of the vengeful and disfigured spirit of Kasane above Sawamura Tossho I as her husband Kinoshitagawa Yoemon. From the play Kuruwa kruwa date no ooyose performed at the Ichimura-za theatre 1836. Published by Kawaguchiya Chozo, 1836. Extremely rare.     Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Gototei Kunisada ga.     Status: Sold    

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. A vertical triptych showing Onoe Kikugoro as Okiku’s ghost; Ichikawa Danjuro IX as the daimyo Aoyama Tessan, and Onoe Kikujiro V and Onoe Matsusuke V as his retainers in the play Sarayashi kesho no sugatami, “Mirror of the House of Blue Dishes.” Performed at the Kabuki-za Theatre, 10 There are two versions of the story: In one, the mistress of the house breaks a valuable blue and white Dutch plate, hiding it in a well and blaming the maid-servant Okiku, who then commits suicide in the well. In the other, Okiku refuses to become Aoyama’s mistress who hides the plate and threatens to accuse her of theft. She throws herself into the well. But in both cases Okiku’s ghost comes back to haunt Aoyama. Published by Fukuda Kumajiro, 1892.     Very fine impression and colour. Very small nicks out of top margin, otherwise fine condition. Full, untrimmed size. Signed Toyohara Kunichika hitsu.     Status: Sold

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Danjuro VIII as the ghost of Seigen from a set of prints Mitate sanjurokkasen no uchi, “An Imaginary Thirty-six Poets” published by Iseya Kanekichi in 1852. The relevant poet in this case is Ariwara no Narihira. The corrupt priest Seigen broke his vows of chastity when he fell in love with Sakurahime. Danjuro played this role in the play Yami no ume yume no tamakura, in the New Year’s programme at the Kawarazaki theatre, Edo, in 1     Very fine early impression with glue applied to the eyes. Fine colour and condition. Signed Toyokuni ga.     Status: Sold    

Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

 Click here to view image full size. A diptych showing the actors Bando Shuka (left) as O-kaji, wife of Danshichi, with sword drawn attacking Seki Sanjuro III as the old hag, wife of Giheiji of Mikawa-cho in pouring rain. From the play Shinzo Tsurifune kidan performed at the Ichimura theatre, 5 Published by Kakumotoya Kinjiro. Kuniyoshi designed another version of this play in the same year for another publisher.   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Sold  

Utagawa KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

 Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing the actor Ichikawa Sandanji I as Akiyama Kiimori amidst an intense conflagration started in an attempt to capture him, Yakuchi no ba. From the series Meiijiza shinkyogen, “New Plays from the Meiji Theatre.” Published by Akiyama Buemon , 1894.   Fine impression, colour and condition. The sheets joined. Signed Toyohara Kunichika hitsu.   Status: Sold  

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing the priest Iwakura Sogen in a snowy garden. “Snow” from a set of three half-length portraits of actors with title: Setsugekka no uchi, “Snow, Moon, and Flowers.” Sogen was infatuated with the beautiful courtesan Irokotohime. He broke his vow of chastity and was expelled from his temple. Unfortunately, Irokotohime dies and Sogen is left with just his memories. There are other versions of this story and a play with the actor Onoe Baiko V. Published by Akiyama Buemon, 1890.   Fine impression of the first edition with variegated and unaltered sub-cartouche. Fine colour and condition. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.   Status: Sold

Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. The actor Onoe Kikugoro V as Aoyagi Harunosuke from a fine and rare set of 14 actor prints: Seiu kandankei, “A Barometer of Emotions.” This being Full Tide. The set published by Okura Magobei, 1877. Presumably showing Kikugoro in the play Shianui Monogatari written by Ryukatei Tanekazu; Ryutei Tanehiko II; and Ryusuitei Tanekiyo. The actor was a great friend of Yoshitoshi.   Very good impression and colour. Slight soil and creasing, otherwise good condition. Signed Oju Yoshitoshi hitsu.   Status: Sold  

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

 Click here to view image full size. A full-on image of the actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa in the Shibaraku play with the voluminous costume associated with the role. Title: Kabuki juhachiban no uchi/Shibaraku, “The Eighteen Famous Kabuki Plays:Shibaraku.” Kunichika made a number of prints, single, diptych and triptych, of this subject but this particular design is rare. Published by Mizuno Asajiro, c. 1895.   Very good impression and colour. Background partly blind-printed. Slight trimming losing publishing information on left edge of last sheet and slight soil. Otherwise good condition. Signed Oju Toyohara Kunichika hitsu.   Status: Sold  

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Otani Tomoemon V playing the role of Ono no Michikaze (also read as Ono no Tofu) in the play Ono no Tofu Aoyagi Suzuri performed at the Ichimura-za Theatre, 5 From a set of at least 22 prints published by Gusokuya Kahei, 1869. Kunichika produced some fine triptychs (horizontal and vertical) as well as this fine set.   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Kunichika ga.   Status: Sold  

Katsukawa SHUN’EI (1762-1819)

 Click here to view image full size. A hosoban diptych complete showing Ichikawa Monnosuke II ( left sheet ) as Soga no Goro and Sawamura Sojuro III ( right sheet ) as Soga no Juro in the play Shunshoku Edo-e Soga performed at the Ichimura-ya in the first month of 1791. Published by Harimaya Shinshichi. Most hosoban multiples have become separated over time. Very good impression, colour and condition. Completely untrimmed. Signed Shun’ei ga. Status: Sold

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

Click here to view image full size. Hana, “Flowers” from the set Setsugekka no uchi, “Snow, Moon, and Flowers.” Shows the actor Ichikawa Sadanji as Gosho no Gorozo. The main character in the play Soga moyo tateshi no goshozome, “The Story of Gorozo, the Chivalrous Commoner.” A convoluted plot (as usual) with the samurai Gorozu becoming an otokodate upon being expelled by his family because of an undesirable love affair. Gorozu ends up killing his old master’s lover, Oshu. Published by Akiyama Buemon, 1890. A fine set of bust portraits.   Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Yoshitoshi.   Status: Sold  

Utagawa TOYOKUNI I (1769-1821)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Ichikawa Omezo I in the role of Hannya no Goro in a Shibaraku scene. Part of the play Monomiguruma yuki no takadono performed at the Morita-za Theatre, 11 Published by Kawachiya Genshichi. A striking design.     Fine impression and colour. Small expertly repaired binding holes at top, otherwise fine condition. Full size. Signed Toyokuni ga.     Status: Sold

Shunchosai HOKUSHU (Active 1822-32)

Click here to view image full size. Onoe Kikugoro III as the ghost of Oiwa in Irohagana yotsuya kaidan, “Ghost Story of Yotsuya.” Performed at the Kado Theatre, 1 Probably the best known Japanese ghost story and has been made into a number of films. Tamiya Iemon, a masterless samurai, murders the wife he has disfigured who comes back to haunt him until he is driven mad and subsequently killed by Oiwa’s brother. Evidently, Kikugoro’s performance was something of a sensation at the time as he gave a bravura performance playing both the ghost of Oiwa and Koheiji who were nailed on opposite sides of a panel dropped into the river. There are at least five states of this print. The first appears to be that illustrated in Roger Keyes, The Theatrical World Of Osaka Prints, Philadelphia Museum Of Art, 1973, no. 34, p. 108 with the engraver and two printers and the writing printed in silver. The example offered here appears to be a second state without the engraver and printers’ seal but with the writing still printed in silver. Other impressions with different seals and lacking the first three lines of writing and the silver are known. See The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University catalogue, Kamigata Prints in the former period: part 1, nos. 279 and 280. Also BM impression 1962,0210,0.2 which may be the last state. Fine impression and colour with calligraphy in silver. Very good condition; full size. Signed Shunchosai Hokushu ga. Status: Sold

Katsukawa SHUNKO (1743-1812)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actor Sakata Hangoro II as the sumo wrestler Kujaku Saburo Narihira in pouring rain in the kaomise drama Sugata no hana yuki no kuronushi performed at the Ichimuraza Theatre, 11 Shunko was a pupil of Katsukawa Shunsho and is thought to have originated the okubi-e format. Another impression is in AIC, 1939.881 (ex Frederick W. Gookin collection). Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Shunko ga. Status: Sold