Background
The play Tenmangû aiju no meiboku (Love under the plum, pine, and cherry at the heaven filling shrine: 天満宮愛梅松桜) appears to be related to, or an adaptation of, the famous puppet and kabuki play Sugawara denju tenarai kagami (Mirror of transmission and learning of Sugawara's Calligraphic Secrets: 菅原伝授手習鑑) based on legends surrounding the life of Sugawara Michizane (845-903: 菅原道真), also known as Kan Shôjô (菅丞相). For instance, the "plum, pine, and cherry" in our translation of the Tenmangû title probably alludes to the triplets Umeômaru, Matsuômaru, and Sakuramaru, respectively, in the Sugawara play. There is also likely a connection between the play's title and both the historical and dramaturgic Sugawara Michizane with respect to the Shinto shrine Kitano Tenmangû (北野天満宮) in Kyoto, which the imperial court built and dedicated to Sugawara Michizane in 986.
There were at least four artists during the 1820s-1830s in Osaka whose art names were pronounced "Shunshi." The present artist, Shunshi (春子), was a pupil of Hokushû (北洲). Active c. 1820–28, he used the gô Seiyôsai (青陽齋) and Shunyôsai (春陽齋). The other three artists using used different ideograms for "shi" were Gatôken Shunshi (画登軒春芝 act. c. 1825-35), Gakôken Shunshi (画好軒春枝 act. c. 1824-29), and Shunshi (春始 act. c. 1830s).
Design
The two actors are engaged in a choreographed fight scene (tachimarari or lit., "standing and going around": 立回り). Ebijûrô II, holding a janome-gasa (snake's eye umbrella: 蛇の目傘) and wearing geta (high clogs: 下駄), stands above an adversary played by a walk-on actor, who is therefore unnamed on the sheet. These supernumeraries were skilled in stunt-style kabuki choreography, displaying impressive acrobatic skills as they tumbled and leaped across the stage.
Our impression has well-preserved color and an intact margin on the left side.
References: IKBYS-IV, no. 231 (faded)
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