Sato no haru meibutsu amigasa, by Utagawa Kunisada

An image of P.474-1937: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Fuwa Banzaemon in Sato no haru meibutsu amigasa (Famous sedge hats during spring in Yoshiwara) performed at the Kawarazaki theatre in 01/1827. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japaneset, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Right-hand sheet of a Shikishiban diptych. Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga, with artist’s double toshidama seal. Poets (members of the Shichiho group): Fukusaien Yonenari, Fukuyûshi Harutomo, Fukkotei Fumimori and Fukkaen Masakari. Ukiyo-e.
Notes: The famous ‘Scabbards clashing’ (Saya-ate) scene in a revival (with a different name) of the play that first brought Danjûrô VII and Kikugorô III together in these highly successful roles in 1823. This scene was subsequently performed as a separate dance-drama. Fuwa Banzaemon carries a sword named ‘Thunder’ and wears a kimono decorated with a pattern of ‘lightning-in-the-clouds’. His rival Nagoya Sanza carries a sword named ‘Amorous Swallows’ and wears a kimono with a ‘swallows-in-the-rain’ pattern tied with a sash of knitted rope. Unaware of each other, they make simultaneous entrances boasting of their fame, along the two raised passageways (hanamichi) that run through the audience to the main stage. As they pass on the main stage, which represents Nakano Street in the Yoshiwara pleasure district at cherry blossom time, their sword hilts clash – a breach of etiquette demanding an apology. This depiction shows them at the moment when they raise their deep sedge traveling-hats and recognize each other, before drawing swords to fight over the courtesan Katsuragi, whom they both love (see the separate surimono of Kumesaburô II as Katsuragi in this scene). It seems that Danjûrô VII was only recruited for this performance after a fire prevented him from appearing as Kagekiyo at the Ichimura theatre.
P.475-1937: Onoe Kikugorô III as Nagoya Sanza in Sato no haru meibutsu amigasa (Famous se

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P.474-1937: Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Fuwa Banzaemon in Sato no haru meibutsu amigasa (Famous sedge hats during spring in Yoshiwara) performed at the Kawarazaki theatre in 01/1827. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japaneset, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Right-hand sheet of a Shikishiban diptych. Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga, with artist’s double toshidama seal. Poets (members of the Shichiho group): Fukusaien Yonenari, Fukuyûshi Harutomo, Fukkotei Fumimori and Fukkaen Masakari. Ukiyo-e. Notes: The famous ‘Scabbards clashing’ (Saya-ate) scene in a revival (with a different name) of the play that first brought Danjûrô VII and Kikugorô III together in these highly successful roles in 1823. This scene was subsequently performed as a separate dance-drama. Fuwa Banzaemon carries a sword named ‘Thunder’ and wears a kimono decorated with a pattern of ‘lightning-in-the-clouds’. His rival Nagoya Sanza carries a sword named ‘Amorous Swallows’ and wears a kimono with a ‘swallows-in-the-rain’ pattern tied with a sash of knitted rope. Unaware of each other, they make simultaneous entrances boasting of their fame, along the two raised passageways (hanamichi) that run through the audience to the main stage. As they pass on the main stage, which represents Nakano Street in the Yoshiwara pleasure district at cherry blossom time, their sword hilts clash – a breach of etiquette demanding an apology. This depiction shows them at the moment when they raise their deep sedge traveling-hats and recognize each other, before drawing swords to fight over the courtesan Katsuragi, whom they both love (see the separate surimono of Kumesaburô II as Katsuragi in this scene). It seems that Danjûrô VII was only recruited for this performance after a fire prevented him from appearing as Kagekiyo at the Ichimura theatre. P.475-1937: Onoe Kikugorô III as Nagoya Sanza in Sato no haru meibutsu amigasa (Famous se

Image data

Accession Number: P.475-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Photographer name: Image Library; Fitzwilliam Museum
Image height: 568 pixels
Image width: 1023 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 175.50kB

Key words

19th Century acting actor actors blind embossing blossom cherry blossom colour printing costume diptych Edo Period embossed embossing Fitz_PDP footware geta hats Ichikawa Danjuro Japanese karazuri kimono Kunisada male metallic pigment Onoe Kikugoro Otowaya performance performer performing pigment plays poem poetry poets print role sakura scabbard scenes sheath Shikishiban shoes surimono sword guard swords theatre theatrical tree blossom ukiyo-e Utagawa Kunisada verses weapons woodblock woodcut Yoshiwara

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