Background
Meiboku sendai hagi (Lespedeza, the famous tree of Sendai: 伽羅先代萩) dramatized the intriques over succession within the Date clan of Sendai during the third quarter of the seventeenth century. It was performed in an alternate sekai ("world" or theatrical setting: 世界), set back in time during the Onin civil war under the Ashikaga shogunate of the fifteenth century (Ashikaga thus becomes a theatrical substitute for the Date clan name). It is a classic play, so popular that during the Edo period it had at least one performance nearly every year since its premiere in 1777. The fictionalized central story involved Lord Ashikaga Yorikane's (足利頼錦) forays into the pleasure quarter and his murder of the courtesan Takao (高尾). This episode is an amplification of an actual incident in which the twenty-one-year-old clan leader Date Tsunamune became the lover of the Yoshiwara courtesan Takao, causing a scandal that led to his downfall. Another story line involves Nikki Danjô (Yorikane's evil nephew who possessed supernatural powers and could transform himself into a rat), the orchestrator of a conspiracy to overthrow Yorikane. The intrigue failed, however, and Nikki was slain. Yet another plot development involves ôe no Hiromoto of the Kamakura court.
The historical Ôe no Hiromoto (大江 広元 1148–1225) was an aristocrat or noble (kuge 公家) of the imperial court in Kyoto and a vassal of the Kamakura shogunate, who contributed to establishing the shogunate's governmental structure. In 1184 he was invited to Kamakura by Minamoto no Yoritomo, who later founded the Kamakura shogunate. He became the first head of the new Board of Public Documents in the same year and then of the Mandokoro (Administrative Board) in 1191. On Hiromoto's advice, Yoritomo appointed military governors in 1185, which helped to strengthen shogunal control over the provinces. In 1190 Ôe followed Yoritomo to Kyoto and remained there to negotiate with the imperial court until 1192. ôe was also involved in other complex events not enumerated here.
Design
Yoshikuni depicts Shikan II as Ôe no Hiromoto in refined courtly attire with a stiff-shoulder sleeveless jacket (kataginu 肩衣) set against a yellow background. His robes reveal Chinese influences in the pattern of stylized blue waves and red coral, while on his sleeves there are crossed-scroll crests (mon 紋) of the Nakamura acting lineage.
The long inscription includes poetic imagery about the New Year. A paraphrase of the text reads, only in part: "In the early spring, the plum blossoms do not wait for the first sun of the New Year. During the reign of Emperor Kôken, a nightingale comes to the plum tree below the eaves of Takama Temple in Yamato Province, and I hear its song. Indeed, the morning sun comes, but never returns in the same form...." Shikan is also mentioned in the role of Ôe no Hiromoto for the play Meiboku sendai hagi, and the date of performance [1/1826] is given.
Full text in Japanese: 早春の時をたかへず梅花一陽にひらくをまち来なく鴬ハテきやうじやナア○誠や孝謙天皇の御宇大和ノ国高ま寺の軒端の梅に鴬来つてなく声を聞は初陽毎朝来不相還本柄となく文字にうつしてこれをよめば初春のあしたごとにはきつれどもあわでぞかへる元のふるすへこりや鴬の唱歌○あわでぞかへる元のふるすにハアテ○地水火風五行みな土にかへる花は根に鳥はふるすへつたへきく伊達家の重宝ちんしゆふの印といふは南天竺まかだ国霊山のこがねをいさせたる鴬ときくさへする所此木のもとに○ハテナ ト引」
Our impression of Yoshikuni's print is quite fine, with superb color on an untrimmed large sheet.
References: KNZ, no. 366; WAS-IV, no. 285
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