Hokuei

Nakamura Shikan II as Tsukushi Gonroku in Keisei hako denju, Naka Theater, Osaka

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No artist seal

Honsei (Honya Seishichi)

4/1835

Format:
(H x W)

Ôban nishiki-e
36.0 x 24.2 cm

Very good (deluxe surimono printing with metallics)

Very good color; overall good condition (unbacked; trimmed slightly; some soiling and rubbing; some repaired insect holes along vertical edges; a few small thinned areas)

$530 / ¥ ... Contact us

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Background

Keisei hako denju (Instruction in a courtesan's secrets: けいせい筥伝授), which premiered in 1804 to great success, was written by Segawa Jokô II (1757-1833) and others. It was an adaptation of Namiki Shôzô's (1730-73) drama Kyûshû kanegamisaki of 1759. Segawa Jokô's script has apparently not survived, although the artist Shôkôsai Hanbei did produce an e-iri nehon (illustrated playbook: 絵入根本) in 1807 with the actor Arashi Rikan I (Arashi Kichisaburô II) as Gonroku.

Design

Shikan stands in a snowy mountain pass as a river cascades behind him. He holds what appears to be an enormous fukiya (blowgun: 吹き矢) used for hunting. His red underrobe has a dragon printed in brass metallics, as is the pattern on his blue skirt.

References: IKB-I, no. 2-439; KNP-6, p. 299; OSP, no. 165