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Been Trying to identify artist of this Japanese woodblock print of Kabuki actor with Otafuku mask on forehead playing an instrument. I was able to identify the date censor mark as 1864 (year of the Rabbit 6th month) or at least I think that's it.
It looked to my like the work of Kunichika, but the signature doesn't seem to match.
Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I make it out as Rat/4 (likely 1888) and the artist is Yoshiiku (1833-1903). Having trouble with the actor. I think it is Nakamura (somebody).

Cheers,
Stan

Thanks Stan - from this info. found an example that is at the Waseda Museum Collection, naming actor as
BenKan Nakamura Shiba..
Info is in Japanese but auto translation titled it "Cleanroom Work" which I am guessing is a very bad translation

Here is the link to that image

URL Title :Waseda Museum Example through Ukiyo-e.org

Nels,

The actor is Nakamura Shikan IV (中村芝翫,1831-99) in the role of Benikan (べにか) in the play ‘Gogatsu nobori beni no akebono’ (五月幟紅曙 – ‘The dawn of the scarlet Boy’s Festival banners’?), performed at the Morita-za in Edo, 4th month 1864. The title in the cartouche reads ‘Jôruri shosagoto’ (浄るり所作事). Jôruri is is narrative music using the shamisen, used during a kabuki dance (shosagato).

Your print is the right panel of a diptych.

The publisher is Iseya Tôkichi.

Guy.


URL Title :Full dptych

Thanks Stan! This has been an interesting adventure. With your info I found an example of the image on ukiyo-e.org As Ochiai Yoshiiku in the Toyo Metro Library Collection. I Just noticed that when I clicked on the compare to other images, another comes up for Waseda Museum collection gallery and the attribution changes to Utagawa Kunisada. Any thoughts?

URL Title :Yoshiiku vs Kunisada?

The Waseda is mistaken. The artist is of course Yoshiiku and not Kunisada.

Guy.

The ukiyo-e.org site is wacky. You'll note that as you click on the two similar prints at the bottom of the page, the Kunisada and Yoshiiku labels jump back and forth between the two pictures. The signature is Yoshiiku. The artist is Yoshiiku.

I see they date it to 1864. In this case, to date the print you need secondary information in addition to the date seal. Likely, they were able to discern the actor and play and when it was performed.

Cheers,
Stan

I see from the below page that your print is the right panel of a diptych.

http://www.yamada-shoten.com/onlinestore/ukiyoe.php?eshi=芳幾&search_key=eshi

Cheers,
Stan

Thanks, Stan and Guy, you guys are the greatest. I try and identify things myself, but when I get stuck, I know I can get the answer here.
Nels

When I get stuck, I use Google image search. It is quite often successful. I had a good example of a print I identified this weekend, but haven't time to talk further tonight.

Cheers,
Stan

We've had this print in our collection for about 10 years. I was thinking of putting this diptych (two vertical oban sheets) on the Forum to try to learn what the titles said. The print has no artist signature. I love the print. The samurai are well done. Each has different features with a different expression. The kimonos are all different. I always wondered what they were doing.

I then remembered that I hadn't put the print in Google image search. When I did that, I was able to find the Japanese text of each page. I ran that through Google translate. As best I can tell, the title reads "Cushingura Act 4 - Outdoor Tea Ceremony. The Cushingura (aka "47 Loyal Retainers") (aka "47 Ronin" - yeah there was a really bad movie with Keanu Reeves by that title) is one of the great Japanese legends.

Little did I know what was going on. From Wikipedia:
-------------------------------------------------
Act IV, scene 1, Enya yakata no ba (“Enya Hangan’s Seppuku”)

Hangan is ordered to commit seppuku and his castle is confiscated. The emotional highlight of this scene is Hangan’s death. The preparations for the ceremony are elaborate and formal. He must kill himself on two upturned tatami mats which are covered with a white cloth and have small vases of anise placed at the four corners. He is dressed in the shini-shōzoku, the white kimono worn for death. The details of the seppuku were strictly prescribed: the initial cut is under the left rib-cage, the blade is then drawn to the right and, finally, a small upward cut is made before withdrawing the blade. Hangan delays as long as he can, however, for he is anxious to have one last word with his chief retainer, Yuranosuke. At the last moment, Yuranosuke rushes in to hear his lord’s dying wish to be avenged on Moronô. Hangan is left to despatch himself by cutting his own jugular vein.

This act is a tosan-ba, or "do not enter or leave" scene, which means the audience was not allowed to enter or leave while it was played, the atmosphere had to be completely silent and nothing was allowed to disturb the suicide scene.
-------------------------------------------------
Or I could be completely wrong. Confirmation anyone? Thanks!

Cheers,
Stan

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