Iwai Kumesaburo II in the role of a shirabyoshi dancer, by Utagawa Kunisada

An image of Iwai Kumesaburô II in the role of a shirabyôshi dancer. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japanese, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Shikishiban. Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga. Poet: Ryûôtei Edo no Hananari. c.1830-1832. Ukiyo-e. Notes: The actor wears a long-sleeved kimono (furisode) patterned with flowers and wasps and bearing the actor’s crest (mon). The pink court robe has a stylised, linked iris pattern in silver, which was also associated with Kumesaburô. The poet who commissioned this print also commissioned other surimono from Kunisada of this actor (see the print displayed alongside). A number of Kabuki plays involved shirabyôshi (white rhythm) dances, performed to a rhythmic accompaniment with changes of costume, bun-shaped court hats and fans. The most notable characters who performed shirabyôshi dances were Hanako in the dance-drama Musume dôjôji, and Shizuka Gozen, mistress of Yoshitsune, in numerous plays.

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Iwai Kumesaburô II in the role of a shirabyôshi dancer. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japanese, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Shikishiban. Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga. Poet: Ryûôtei Edo no Hananari. c.1830-1832. Ukiyo-e. Notes: The actor wears a long-sleeved kimono (furisode) patterned with flowers and wasps and bearing the actor’s crest (mon). The pink court robe has a stylised, linked iris pattern in silver, which was also associated with Kumesaburô. The poet who commissioned this print also commissioned other surimono from Kunisada of this actor (see the print displayed alongside). A number of Kabuki plays involved shirabyôshi (white rhythm) dances, performed to a rhythmic accompaniment with changes of costume, bun-shaped court hats and fans. The most notable characters who performed shirabyôshi dances were Hanako in the dance-drama Musume dôjôji, and Shizuka Gozen, mistress of Yoshitsune, in numerous plays.

Image data

Accession Number: P.495-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Photographer name: Image Library; Fitzwilliam Museum
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 888 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 1.12MB

Key words

19th Century acting actor actors blind embossing characters colour printing costume dance dancers dancing Edo Period embossed embossing fans female Fitz_PDP floral flowers furisode insects Iwai Kumesaburo II Japanese kabuki karazuri kimono Kunisada male metallic pigment performance performer performing pigment poem poetry poets print robes role Shikishiban Silver surimono theatre theatrical ukiyo-e Utagawa Kunisada wasps woman woodblock woodcut

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026)
            "Iwai Kumesaburo II in the role of a shirabyoshi dancer, by Utagawa Kunisada"
            Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/image/media-218602 Accessed: 2026-01-07 01:27:47

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            |title=Iwai Kumesaburo II in the role of a shirabyoshi dancer, by Utagawa Kunisada
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-01-07 01:27:47|publisher=The
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