Background
Nakamura Utaemon III took the name Nakamura Baigyoku I and used it on stage only a few months in 1826. Otherwise, "Baigyoku" served as his literary name.
In the first lunar month of 1826, Utaemon performed at the Kitagawa Shibai (北側芝居), Kyoto in two roles, as Yasuna (保名) and Yakan (やかん); the play was "The Courtesan in the Shadow of the Blossoming Trees" (Keisei Hanagi Kage けいせい花木影)
Design
This print celebrates a new song-style performance by the superstar Nakamura Utaemono III.
The lyrics are given below:
“Twisted plum blossom! Go on, laugh if you will—mock me if you like. If there truly were a plum that blooms in autumn, then surely Baigyoku [梅玉 pen name for Utaemon III] would never appear again! So they say—and having made it known, amid all the bustle of the [acting] troupe, with fans stirred by the blowing wind, I am quite put out, brazenly so—sweat and embarrassment breaking out together. And yet, since there is reason for another appearance after autumn, at least let us add a little gesture, a bit of melody—and with this shamisen give the signal for the song."
Gachû shishô Nejimume, warawanse soshiranse. Akizaki ume ga aru naraba, Baigyoku nido to deyasemai to iuta tote kikashitatete, iroiro dan de fukikaze no ôgi ni komatte atsukamashi, ase to haji to no kaki aki kara mata deru wake o, semete ma chitto te o tsukete fushi tsukete kono shamisen de uta aizu sen.
画中詞章「ねぢむめ 笑わんせそしらんせ秋咲梅があるならば梅玉二度と出やせまひといふたとてきかしたてゝいろ／＼団で吹風の扇にこまつてあつかましあせと恥とのかき秋からまた出るわけをせめてまあちつとてをつけ節つけて此三味線で歌合図せん」
Note: 秋咲梅 (akizaki ume), means "an autumn-blooming plum.” Since plums normally bloom in late winter, this phrase is metaphorical—suggesting something unusual or unexpected. In other words, just as an autumn-blooming plum would be impossible, so, too, would it be unthinkable to stage plays without Baigyoku.
This impression retains an unusually large top margin.
References: WAS-4-5, no. 293 (inv 016-1669); KNP-6, p. 136
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