Background
Kuninao (國直 surname Yanagawa, 柳川) was active circa 1823; his earlier art name (geimei) appears to have been Eisen (used on the print illustrated here), and his gô was Eisensai (英泉齋). He should not be confused with Keisei (Ikeda) Eisen (渓斎英泉, 1790-1848) who worked in Edo. He should also not be confused with Utagawa Kuninao (歌川國直), a pupil of Utagawa Toyokuni I in Edo.
The original dramatization Sekitori senryô nobori (The Rise of the 1,000 Ryô Wrestler: 関取千両幟) was written in nine acts by Chikamatsu Hanji and others for the ningyô jôruri (puppet theater: 人形淨瑠璃), premiering in 8/1767 at the Takemoto Theater, Osaka. The first kabuki performance in Osaka may have been in 8/1775 at the Kado Theater. Two patrons of rival wrestlers attempt to raise money to ransom a beautiful courtesan, Nishikigi of the Osakaya, so they wager on a match between their wrestlers. Tetsugadake Dazaemon, fearing he will lose, asks Iwagawa Jirokichi to throw the match in exchange for his help in raising the money for Iwagawa's patron. As this would guarantee the rescue of Nishikigi, Iwagawa agrees. His wife Otowa learns of the plot, however, and cannot accept that her husband would ruin his reputation for his patron. She therefore raises the money in secret by the only means available — selling herself to a brothel. As the wrestling match is about to begin, Iwagawa is told that an anonymous source has provided the money. He is therefore free to compete unfettered, defeat his opponent, and capture his ranking. After his victory, he is shocked to learn that the donor was his Otowa.
Design
This is a curious triptych in which the facial likenesses (nigao) show partial Edo-style influence.
The poems read:
(1R) In the swift shallows / of the Iwakawa River / the reflection of the Man in the Moon [cassia man] — even that grows dim and swept away/ in the summer night storm (Iwakawa no / haya se ni utsuru / katsura-otoko no / kage mo susukishi / natsu no yo arashi 岩川のはや瀬にうつる桂男の影もすゝきし夏の夜あらし [poet = Ariwara Baisei 在原梅成]
(2R) In such a beautiful scene / the heat is quite forgotten — / the famed Otoha Falls / its white threads of water. (Utsukushiki keshiki ni / atsusa wasurekeri / na ni shi Otoha no / taki no shiraito うつくしきけしきに暑さ忘れけり名にしおとはの滝の白糸 [poet = Chiyotake Nari 千代竹成]
(3R) With a resounding crash /the iron hardness of the snow-treading bell — / its strike so powerful / it echoes far and wide. Doyasu chô / yukifumi no kane no / tetsu kataki / atari mo tsuyoku / oto ni hibikite どやすてふ雪踏のかねの鉄かたき当りもつよく音にひゝきて [poet = Suminoe Matsunari 住の江 松成]
It is very rare for an Osaka print to include a censor seal. This impression bears a kiwame seal ("approved": 極), probably indicating that this work was also intended for sale in Edo where commercially published prints required inspection by authorities.
Another impression was in the Hendrick Lühl Collection (Luh-HSK093 in the ARC database).
References: Konan no. 238; WB, no. 1-4
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