Ichikawa Shôchô II (市川松蔦) as
Okiku (おきく; お菊)
Play: Banchô Sarayashiki (番町皿屋敷)
Performance Place: Tokyo Gekijô, Tokyo
Performance Date: 11/01/37
Print Date: 1950 or later
Series: Meifu Miyage Geki no Omokage
(冥府苞苴劇容彩) (#21)
Medium: ?
Image courtesy of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum
Note: It is unclear if this is a woodblock print, a watercolor
drawing, or a hand-colored keyblock print for an
unpublished design. Shôchô II died on August 19, 1940 at
age 55. He first played the role of Okiku in Tokyo at the
Hongô-za in February 1916. Although Shôchô III's final
Tokyo appearance in this role was at the Tokyo Gekijô in
November 1937, it is possible that Gakô based this print
on one of Shûchô III's prior performances.