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Subject:Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: taljp Fri, Aug 01, 2014 IP: 76.252.152.176

I recently acquired this Japanese print. I'd appreciate any help in identifying the artist and the approximate age.







Subject:Re: Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: geo. Sat, Aug 02, 2014

This looks like one panel of a multi-panel work - likely a triptych. The artist has signed it in the cartouche to the upper right - "Yoshu Chikanobu hitsu" (from the brush of Yoshu Chikanobu).

It depicts Kabuki actor Nakamura Shikan and, though there's no date I would guess it's from around 1875 or so, just going by the style.

Subject:Re: Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: Stan Sat, Aug 02, 2014

The artist is Chikanobu (1838-1912). Given the way the signature is written, your print dates from the late 1800s. The actor depicted is Nakamura Shikan IV. Likely, your print is the center page of a triptych.

Cheers,
Stan

Subject:Re: Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: Willie Mon, Aug 04, 2014

Here is a link for an image (albeit a bit fuzzy) of the entire triptych from chikanobu.com.

http://www.chikanobu.com/kaburefer.asp

Please see image #47

Subject:Re: Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: Stan Tue, Aug 05, 2014

Good work Willie! So, it was the right panel of a triptych. That was my second guess. ;-)

Regrettably, there is no definitive date information.

Cheers,
Stan

Subject:Re: Japanese Print Identification
Posted By: Guy Fri, Aug 08, 2014

I believe that this is Nakamura Shikan IV in the role of a Chinese Warlord Kan'u in a play 'Tsuizen nijûsan ...', performed at the Morita-za in Tokyo, 3rd month 1874. I could not translate the entire title of the play.

Cfr. link Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University.

Guy.

URL Title :Link Waseda.



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