NATORI SHUNSEN (名取春仙) 

  Undated

Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎) as ?



Play: ?  
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date:?
Personal Collection

Note: The publisher information and artist cartouche
suggest that this print was likely made around the
same time as two known 1914 prints by Shunsen.

Nakamura Kichiemon I (中村吉右衛門) as ?



Play: ?
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Personal Collection   

Note: The publisher information and artist cartouche
suggest that this print was likely made around the same
time as two known 1914 prints by Shunsen.  The
butterflies on Kichiemon I's Kichiemon I's kimono also
suggest that the character might be Soga Gorô Tokimune
(曾我五郎時致), but I can find no record of Kichiemon I
playing this character in any play prior to 1929.  One
possibility, however, is that the print depicts Kichiemon I
as Ôguchiya Gyôu (大口屋暁雨) in the play Kyôkaku
Harusame Gasa (侠客春雨傘), commonly known as
Harusame Gasa (春雨傘) or Jitsuroku no Sukeroku
(実録の助六).  Kichiemon I performed in a production
of  Kyôkaku Harusame Gasa at the Ichimura-za in
January 1913.
 

Nakamura Ganjirô I (中村鴈治郎) as
Takechi Jûjirô (武智十次郎)

Play: Ehon Taikôki (繪本太功記)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: c. 1913-1919
Medium: Woodblock printed postcard
Image courtesy of FujiArts.com

Note: The only record I could find of
Ganjirô I performing in Tokyo when
Shunsen was active making prints was
at the Shintomi-za in May 1926.
Stylistically, however, the print looks
like it was made a decade earlier.

Ii Yôhô (伊井蓉峰) as ?
     
Play: ?
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Woodblock printed postcard
Personal Collection

Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎) as
Sakan Chôbei (左官長兵)
      
Play: Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi
(人情噺文七元結)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Woodblock printed postcard
Personal Collection

Note: Kikugorô VI portrayed Chôbei
eight times between 1911 and 1944.

                   
Ichimura Uzaemon XV (市村羽左衛門) as
Kirare Yosaburô (切られ与三郎) in
Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi  (與話情浮名横櫛)
and similar plays

Nakamura Utaemon V (中村歌右衛門) as
Onhahakô Yodo no Kata (淀の方) [Yodogimi (淀君)] in
Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu (沓手鳥孤城落月) and
similar plays

Kataoka Nizaemon XI (片岡仁左衛門) as
Meikô Kakiemon (名工柿右衛門) in
Meikô Kakiemon (名工柿右衛門)

Ichikawa Chûsha VII (市川中車)  as
Nikki Danjô (仁木弾正) in
Meiboku Sendai Hagi (伽羅先代萩)

Nakamura Ganjirô I (中村鴈治郎) as
Kameya Chûbē (亀屋忠兵衛; 龜屋忠兵衛) in
Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai (恋飛脚大和往来)

Matsumoto Kôshirô VII (松本幸四郎) as
Musashibô Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in Kanjinchô (勧進帳)

Ichikawa Sadanji II (市川左団次; 市川左團次) as
Idahachi (伊太八) in Onoe Idahachi (尾上伊太八)

Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎)  as Yayoi (弥生) in
Kagami Jishi  (鏡獅子) and similar plays

Onoe Baikô VI (尾上梅幸) as Kijô (鬼女) in
Modoribashi (戻橋)
 
Nakamura Kichiemon I  (中村吉右衛門) as
Ishikiri Kajiwara (石切梶原) in
Kajiwara Heizô Homare no Ishikiri (梶原平三誉石切)

Title:  Dozô no Rakugaki (土蔵のらくがき)
Print Date: ?
 
 
 

                   
Kataoka Nizaemon XI? (片岡仁左衛門) as
Ôishi Kuranosuke (大石内蔵之助; 大石内蔵助)
 
Play:  ?
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Hand-colored keyblock print (版画源画)?

Note: I can find no record of Nizaemon XII or
XIII performing this role in Tokyo during Shunsen's
lifetime, leading me to believe that it depicts
Nizaemon XI.   Nixaemon XI portrayed the
character several times in plays such as Goban
Teiheiki (碁盤太平記) and Ôishi Kuranosuke
(大石内蔵助).   It is possible that it was intended
as a memorial print, which would date it to the
mid-1930s.  Although purporting to be hanga
genga in the 2002 and 1991 Shunsen catalogs, it
appears to be a finished painting and I have not
found a hand-colored keyblock print for this
design.

                   
Onoe Matsusuke IV (尾上松助) as
Kômori Yasu (蝙蝠安)
 
Play:  Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi
(與話情浮名横櫛; 与話情浮名横櫛)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Hand-colored keyblock print (版画源画)?

Note: Matsusuke IV died on September 5, 1928 at
age 86.    He first played the role of Kômori Yasu
in Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi in Tokyo at
the Kabuki-za in September 1892.  Although
Matsusuke IV's last Tokyo appearance in this role
was in a June 1927 production of Otomi to
Yosaburô (お富と与三郎) at the Teikoku Gekijô 
it is possible that Shunsen based this print on one
of Matsusuke IV's prior performances in those
plays or in "Kirare Otomi."    Although purporting
to be hanga genga in the 2002 and 1991 Shunsen
catalogs, it appears to be a finished painting and I
have not found a hand-colored keyblock print for
this design.

                   
Kawarasaki Gonjûrô (河原崎権十郎;
河原崎權十郎) as Saitô Sanemori (斎藤実盛)
 
Play:  Genpei Nunobiki no Taki (源平布引瀧)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Hand-colored keyblock print (版画源画)?

Note: It is unclear if if this is Gonjûrô II or III.  I
have not found a post-War performance with
either in the role of Saitô Sanemori, although it
was a favorite role of Gonjûrô II before the War.
Although purporting to be hanga genga in the
2002 and 1991 Shunsen catalogs, it appears
to be a finished painting and I have not found
a hand-colored keyblock print for this design.
 
 
 
 
 

                   
Jujirô (十次郎)

Play:  Ehon Taikôki (繪本太功記), Act 10
Performance Place: [Bunraku Theatre]?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Hand-colored keyblock print (版画源画)
Personal Collection

                   
Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎) as ?

Play:  ?
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Hand-colored keyblock print (版画源画)
Personal Collection

Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎) as
Princess Sarashina (更科),
in reality Togakushi no Kijo (戸隠の鬼女)

Play: Momijigari (紅葉狩)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: ?
Medium: Woodblock printed magazine print
Personal Collection

Note: Kikugorô VI performed this role in Tokyo
multiple times between 1906 and 1941.  Based on
similar magazine prints by Chikamine, this print
most likely reflects Kikugorô VI's performance at
the Shintomi-za in February 1922,  Ichimura-za in
October 1922, or at the Ichimura-za in Febraury
1927.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ichikawa Ennosuke II (市川猿之助) as
Tobizu Kamekichi (鳶頭亀吉) or
Tobizu Tsurukichi (鳶頭政吉)

Play: Kioi Jishi (勢獅子)
Performance Place: ?
Performance Date: ?
Print Date: c. 1918-1925
Publication: Nigao-e (似顔繪), #?
Personal Collection

Note: Between 1918 and 1925, Ennosuke II performed
in this play four times in Tokyo: at the Kabuki-za in
May 1918, the Shintomi-za in October 1920, a special
performance  at the Kokuritsu Gekijô in December
1924, and the Kan'non Gekijô in January 1925.  He
and an other actor would alternate playing the  roles
of Kamekichi and Tsurukichi.
 
 
 
 
 

           
            Musashibô Benkei (武藏坊辨慶; 武蔵坊弁慶)                                                Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸)
           
            Play: Hashi Benkei (橋辨橋; 橋弁慶)
            Print Date: ?
            Personal Collection

            Note: These prints were sold as a diptych design.  I am starting to think that these may actually be the left and center panels of an
            unrecorded triptych design, which would explain the strange margins and lack of any publisher information.  If anyone has an image
            of the hypothesized third panel, please get in touch with me.  The paper is of relatively poor quality, suggesting that it might have been
            printed during WWII or during the late 1940s.

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