Background
Just across the canal from Osaka's Dôtonbori theater district was an area called Shimanouchi, the city's largest unofficial pleasure
quarter. Shimanouchi hosted an annual costume parade (Nerimono sugata) early each summer featuring waitresses, geisha, and courtesans
performing skits or pantomimes about well-known figures from contemporary society, theater, history, and legend. In
this colorful pageant, the women were accompanied by decorative floats carrying musicians and dancers.
Sugawara no Michizane (845-903) was a statesman, scholar, and poet who, in 899, was given the second highest post — Minister of the Right
— in the government, inciting jealousy among the ruling Fujiwara clan, who falsely accused Michizane of plotting to overthrow the recently
enthroned Emperor Daigo. In 901 they exiled Michizane to Kyûshû, where he died two years later. After his death the imperial family
as well as the Fujiwara suffered a number of unexpected deaths, and then plagues and natural disasters followed. These events were interpreted as
punishment from Michizane's unappeased spirit. He was restored to his rank (in 923), honored with a shrine (the Kitano Tenmangû in 947, which
still stands today), and, finally, canonized as a Tenjin (Heavenly Deity) in 987.
Design
Momotsuru of the Kaideya wears the courtly robes of the celebrated master of calligraphy (the inscription by her name, Mizuguki no kami,
means "Deity of Calligraphy"). Her hat is the kammuri, headgear worn by nobles and court officials.
Shigenobu was an Edo artist visiting Osaka in 1822 (the Tôto prefix in his signature means "Eastern" or Edo). This print
is from an important series of at least 14 portraits that Shigenobu designed for the parade in 1822 (the series title is written in the pink cartouche
at the upper right). This impression includes overprinted leaves and flowers on the black robes, an effect missing from some examples. Sheets from
this series are very difficult to find in good condition. In fact, prints of beautiful women (bijin-ga) in any style are uncommon in
kamigata-e.
References: IKBYS-II, no. 179; KON, no. 505; WAS I-4 , no. 663; OSP, no. 258
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