Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Kan Shojo, by Utagawa Kunisada

An image of Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Kan Shōjō (top) and Segawa Kikunojō V as Umeōmaru (bottom) in Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (Sugawara and the secrets of calligraphy) performed at the Kawarazaki theatre in 09/1832. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japanese, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour prints from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri), 42.3 x 18.6 cm. Ôtanzaku-ban. Signed: Kôchôrô Kunisada ga, with artist’s double toshidama seal. Poets: Shôeitei Tsukiyoshi and Matsunoya Sononari. Ukiyo-e. Notes: Spring kyôka surimono commemorating the performance in the ninth month of 1832 at the Kawarazaki theatre in Edo of Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (Sugawara and the secrets of calligraphy). The print shows the Tempaizan scene at Mount Tempai on Kyûshû, where the exiled Sugawara, known as Kan Shôjô, learns in a dream that his favourite plum tree from the garden in his home in Sada village has been moved to nearby Anraku Temple so that he may enjoy its blossoms. When he goes there he encounters one of his retainers, Umeômaru, involved in a duel. He breaks off a branch from the tree and magically decapitates Umeômaru’s opponent. He then learns from Umeômaru that his loss of position at court and subsequent exile are due to the machinations of his rival Shihei (Fujiwara Tokihira). Flying into a rage he turns into the Thunder god, raises a storm and, to the accompaniment of lightning, flies off to the capital (Kyoto) to muster support in preventing Shihei from gaining power.

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Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Kan Shōjō (top) and Segawa Kikunojō V as Umeōmaru (bottom) in Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (Sugawara and the secrets of calligraphy) performed at the Kawarazaki theatre in 09/1832. Kunisada, Utagawa (Japanese, 1786-1865). Surimono. Colour prints from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri), 42.3 x 18.6 cm. Ôtanzaku-ban. Signed: Kôchôrô Kunisada ga, with artist’s double toshidama seal. Poets: Shôeitei Tsukiyoshi and Matsunoya Sononari. Ukiyo-e. Notes: Spring kyôka surimono commemorating the performance in the ninth month of 1832 at the Kawarazaki theatre in Edo of Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (Sugawara and the secrets of calligraphy). The print shows the Tempaizan scene at Mount Tempai on Kyûshû, where the exiled Sugawara, known as Kan Shôjô, learns in a dream that his favourite plum tree from the garden in his home in Sada village has been moved to nearby Anraku Temple so that he may enjoy its blossoms. When he goes there he encounters one of his retainers, Umeômaru, involved in a duel. He breaks off a branch from the tree and magically decapitates Umeômaru’s opponent. He then learns from Umeômaru that his loss of position at court and subsequent exile are due to the machinations of his rival Shihei (Fujiwara Tokihira). Flying into a rage he turns into the Thunder god, raises a storm and, to the accompaniment of lightning, flies off to the capital (Kyoto) to muster support in preventing Shihei from gaining power.

Image data

Accession Number: P.512-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Photographer name: Image Library; Fitzwilliam Museum
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 465 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 727.36kB

Key words

19th Century acting actor actors anger angry blind embossing calligraphy colour printing duel dueling duelling Edo Period embossed embossing fighters fighting Fitz_PDP fruits grappling Ichikawa Danjuro Japanese Kan Shojo karazuri Kunisada kyoka verse male metallic pigment military Mount Tempai otanzaku-ban performance performer performing pigment plum tree plums poem poetry poets print rage retainers role Spring Sugawara surimono theatre theatrical ukiyo-e Umeomaru Utagawa Kunisada verses woodblock woodcut

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            "Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Kan Shojo, by Utagawa Kunisada"
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