Richard Kruml

Richard Kruml

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…

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…

Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

Click here to view image full size. A mitate (imaginary) triptych showing, from left to right: Onoe Kikugoro III as Takehara Genpachi; Ichikawa Ebizo V as Omura Gengo; Iwai Tojaku as Fujinami. The actors surrounding a handscroll that is emitting…

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,…

Kitao SHIGEMASA (1739-1820)

 Click here to view image full size. A hosoban showing the actors Ichikawa Komazo II (above right) in the role of Honcho Tsunagoro and Otani Hiroemon II (below) as Hantoki Kuroemon. The play was the second item (nibanme) on the…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as the ghost of Kasane from a set Mitate sanjurokkasen no uchi, “An Imaginary Thirty-six Poets.” A famous early compilation; in this case the image is inspired by…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII as the ghost of Seigen from a set Mitate sanjurokkasen no uchi, “An Imaginary Thirty-six Poets.” A famous early compilation; in this case the image is inspired by…

Utagawa KUNISADA II (1823-1880)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Segawa Kikunojo V as the Cat Witch Ama Myochin from the set Hakkenden inu no soshi no uchi , “Stories of the Eight Dog Heroes.” Published by Tsutaya Kichizo, 1852. The…

Utagawa KUNISADA II (1823-1880)

Click here to view image full size. The Actor Bando Mitsuemon I as Akaiwa Gajiro from the set Hakkenden inu no soshi no uchi , “Stories of the Eight Dog Heroes.” Published by Tsutaya Kichizo, 1852. The extremely lengthy novel…

Utagawa KUNISADA II (1823-1880)

Click here to view image full size. The complete diptych showing on the right the actor Arashi Otohachi III as the evil priest Bungyu attacking Asuka played by Fujikawa Kayu III from the set Hakkenden inu no soshi no uchi…

Ryusai SHIGEHARU (1803-1853)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Nakamura Utaemon III as the ghost of Taira no Tomomori in the play Yoshitsune senbon zakura, “Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees.” Famous for tying himself to an anchor and jumping…

Utagawa NOBUKATSU (Active 1824-1841)

Click here to view image full size. An Osaka print showing the actor Onoe Baiko III as Kan Shojo (Sugawara Michizane) in the play Sugawara denju tenarai kagami, “Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy.” Performed at the Takeda Theatre, 3…

Utagawa TOYOKUNI (1769-1825)

 Click here to view image full size. An actor portrait showing Matsumoto Koshiro V (standing) in the role of Banzui Chobei and Bando Mitsugoro III as Shira Gonpachi next to a kago in Sakurada Jisuke I’s play Banzuin Chobei shojin…

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX in the role of Hanako performing the famous dance in Musume Dojoji, “The Maiden at Dojoji Temple.” Hanako is allowed to dance before the new…

Katsukawa SHUNSHO (1726-1792)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actor Otani Hiroji III wearing a red straw cape in the snow and holding aloft a crystal ball. An unidentified role published c. 1775. Evidently Hiroji was very popular…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. Onoe Baiko III (Kikugoro III) as the vengeful ghost of Kasane appearing to haunt her husband Yagoro who had murdered her after getting tired of her ugliness. From the play Kuruwa kuruwa date…

Utagawa TOYOKUNI I (1769-1825)

Click here to view image full size. Shows the actor Onoe Shoroku I as Osakabehime, Princess Osakabe, a phantom who haunted the battlements of Himeji Castle. The character appeared in the play Matazoro Shoroku Osakabe banashi performed at the Ichimura-za…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII in the drama Shibaraku. He is seen in his voluminous robe with the large Sansho (three square) motif which was the symbol of the Danjuro acting clan. The…

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban benizuri-e showing the actor Bando Hikosaburo II as Sanada no Yoichi Yoshitada in the play Ume ya suisen izu no irifune performed at the Morita Theatre, 11 Yoshitada served the Minamoto…

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban benizuri-e showing the actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX as Soga no Goro Tokimune, brandishing a club, and riding to avenge the murder of his father by Kudo Suketsune. Published c. 1768. (The…

Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

Click here to view image full size. An interesting and rare Kuniyoshi triptych showing actors relaxing in a busy teahouse. In fact this group appeared in the play Sumidagawa tsui no kagamon performed at the Ichimura-za Theatre from the 3…

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. A complete diptych showing the huge figure of the actor Ichimura Uzaemon XIII as Kozo Kikunosuke , a young thief, fighting the police on the roof of the Gokuraku-ji Temple. This is the…

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

 Click here to view image full size. Shows the standing figure of the kabuki actor Ichimura Kamezo I as Wankyu in the play Furiwakamura suehiro Genji which according to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which has another impression (no.21.8149),…

Torii KIYONAGA (1752-1815)

Click here to view image full size. A fine actor design from a series of at least 31 such degatari prints (showing singing or chanting at a theatre). A scene from Shosa Hatsuhige yakko tanzen, played at the Ichimura-za theatre…

Ippitsusai BUNCHO (1763-1840)

 Click here to view image full size. Ichikawa Danjuro V probably as Watanabe Kiou Takiguchi in the play Nue no mori ichiyou no matsu performed at the Nakamura-za in the 11th month of 1770. It was in this month that…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)

# A rare 6-sheet design: Odori keiyo gakuya no zu, Odori keiyo nikai-iri no zu, “View of the Backstage and Dressing Rooms, Backstage at a Newly Opened Theatre.” The 1855 earthquake and resulting fire destroyed the Edo theatre district. Only…

MANGETSUDO (Active 1743-1747)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing a youth impersonated by Onoe Kikugoro I standing outside the Yoshiwara. Above is a cartouche showing a gosho-guruma (a mid-17th century Imperial cart) and above the cartouche the word Kayoi:…

Katsukawa SHUNKO (1743-1812)

Click here to view image full size. An hosoban showing the actor Ichikawa Danzo IV in the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the play Natsu matsuri kagami performed at the Morita-za Theatre, 7     Fine impression, colour and condition.…

Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1785)

 Click here to view image full size. The actor Segawa Kikunojo II as the Tennin (a devine being that is able to fly by means of a feathered kimono) from the play Hagoromo, “The Feathered Mantle.” She stands on Miho…