Utagawa Yoshiiku (Ochiai Yoshiiku)

Actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians in the Kabuki Play, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka

Utagawa Yoshiiku's "Actors Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians" in the Kabuki Play, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka was staged in Edo at the Ichimura theatre, Bunkyu 02 (1862). These works are characteristic of his fine woodcuts during the 1860's. More than any of Kuniyoshi's pupils, Yoshiiku continued the striking design elements of his master. These included powerful portrayals of motion and gesture combined with brilliant colour modulations. The musical instrument being played by Ichimura Kakitsu, the actor on the left, is called a Muyu; it is a percussion instrument, also known as a Mokugyo. The instrument to the right, played by Nakamura Shikan is a Shamisen (a three stringed musical instrument similar to the lute). These two original woodcuts are printed on mid nineteenth century Japanese rice paper and with full margins as published by Kagaya Kichibei of Ryogoku in 1862. They are superb and scarce examples of the early art and the classic talents of the Japanese artist, Utagawa Yoshiiku (Ochiai Yoshiiku).

Two original woodcuts (Diptych) by the 19th century Japanese artist, Utagawa Yoshiiku (Ochiai Yoshiiku).

Actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians in the Kabuki Play, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka

View other Japanese woodcuts by Yoshiiku.

Utagawa Yoshiiku, Utagawa 'Ochiai Yoshiiku' (Japan, 1833- 1904)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes
01-		Actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians in the play Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka by Utagawa Yoshiiku	Two Original Japanese Woodcuts (Diptych)	1862	Published by Kagaya Kichibei of Ryogoku
02.-		Hori Kyutaro Hidemasa, a samurai in full armour from the series: Taiheiki eiyuden (Heroes from the chronicles of the Taiheiki) by Utagawa Yoshiiku	Original Japanese Woodcut	1867	Published by Hirookaya Kosuke (Hirokaya Kosuke)
03.-		Kusunoki Shichiro, warrior in feudal samurai armour from the series: Taiheiki eiyuden (Heroes from the chronicles of the Taiheiki) by Utagawa Yoshiiku	Original Japanese Woodcut	1867	Published by Hirookaya Kosuke (Hirokaya Kosuke)
04.-		Saito Izu no kami Toshimitsu, a samurai in battle with a warrior from the series: Taiheiki eiyuden (Heroes from the chronicles of the Taiheiki) by Utagawa Yoshiiku	Original Japanese Woodcut	1867	Published by Hirookaya Kosuke (Hirokaya Kosuke)

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Title:	Actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians in the Kabuki Play, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka
Artist:	Yoshiiku, Utagawa 'Ochiai Yoshiiku' (Japan, 1833- 1904)
Date:	1862 (Bukyu 2) 8th month
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut (Diptych)
Publisher:	Kagaya Kichibei of Ryogoku, Edo
Note:	Utagawa Yoshiiku (Ochiai Yoshiiku): A fine 19th century Japanese artist of the Utagawa school, Yoshiiku is also known as 'Utagawa Yoshiiku', 'Ochiai Yoshiiku', 'Ikkeisai Yoshiiku', and 'Chokoaro'. Many of Japan's greatest woodcut artists of the latter half of the nineteenth century studied in the workshop of the master artist and designer, Kuniyoshi (1798-1861). The most notable were Yoshitoshi, Yoshiiku, Yoshitora, Yoshikazu and Yoshifuji. The 'Yoshi' prefix, in fact, was somewhat like a title which indicated that these artists belonged to Kuniyoshi's famous school. By the mid 1870's Yoshitoshi had risen to be the most famous artist of his era. Yet, for the decade following the death of Kuniyoshi (in 1861), the heir apparent to carry on his masterful warrior and actor woodcuts was Yoshiiku. "Actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians" in the Kabuki Play, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka is characteristic of Yoshiiku's actor woodcuts created during the 1860's. As the Meiji period (1868-1912) began, the art of the Japanese woodcut fell under the influence of Western trends. This early Yoshiiku woodcut, therefore, represents one of his greatest works in the traditional Japanese manner.
	More than any of Kuniyoshi's pupils, Yoshiiku continued the striking design elements of his master. These included powerful portrayals of motion and gesture combined with brilliant colour modulations. Yoshiiku's affinity to his master during this decade is reinforced by the fact that he was commissioned to create the important memorial woodcut portrait of Kuniyoshi shortly after his death. As well many of Yoshiiku's woodcuts during the 1860's decade are signed with Kuniyoshi's red Kiri seal (seen here in the lower left margin).
	Utagawa Yoshiiku (Ochiai Yoshiiku) contributed works for many individual woodcuts and series. The latter includes such works as, Toto Ryuko Sanjuroku (Thirty-six Fashionable Restaurants of the Eastern Capital) 1857, Tokaidochu Kurige no Yajiuma (Shank's Mare on the Tokaido Road) 1860, Tokaido meisho fukei (Scenes of Famous Places along the Tokaido Road) 1863, Taiheiki eiyuden (Heroes from the chronicles of the Taiheiki) 1867, Makoto no tsuki hana no sugata-e (Portraits as True Lineness in the Moonlight) 1867, Imayo nazorae Genji (Modern Parodies of Gengi) 1864, Tosei Soshi Awase (Contest of Popular Modern Books) 1866, Shunshoku Sanjuroku Kaiseki (Colors of Spring at Thirty-six Resteraunts) 1866, Zensei jihitsu sanjuroku (Thirty-six Selected Flowers in Full Bloorm: Their Own Calligraphy) 1869, and many others.
	Actor Ichimura Kakitsu Playing a Muyu (Mokugyo): This original woodcut is one of two works created by Yoshiiku in 1862 for the kabuki play entitled, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka. It portrays the actor, Ichimura Kakitsu in the role of a street musician playing a Muyu (Mokugyo). The play was staged in Edo at the Ichimura theatre, Bunkyu 02 (1862). There appears to have been nine generations of kabuki actors who adopted the name, 'Ichimura Kakitsu', and it has been noted that this name was not officially held, Ichimura Uzaemon IX was considered the founder of the line. The actor, Onoe Kikugoro V held the name of 'Ichimura Usaemon XIII' from the 1st lunar month of 1851 to Spring 1863. His stage names were 'Onoe Kikugoro V', 'Ichimura Kakitsu IV' (The actor's name in this original woodcut), 'Ichimura Usaemon XIII', 'Ichimura Kuroemon', 'Onoe Baiko V' and 'Onoe Kuroemon I'. In this original woodcut, Ochiai Yoshiiku portrays the actor Ichimura Kakitsu, along with a portrait of Kiyomoto Enju dayu (Enjudayu), depicted within a diamond shaped frame just behind Kakitsu. Kiyomoto Enju dayu (1777 - 1825) was a young kabuki actor/singer founder of the kiyomoto style of narrative singing with shamisen and drums perpetuated by his son Kiyomoto Enjudayu II (1801-1855) in Edo. Many of the Kiyomoto plays incorporate other styles, this includes music that could be heard in the streets, folk songs and popular Hauta. Here, Ichimura Kakitsu plays the role of a street musician during a Kiyomoto Enju Dayu recital. The musician is wearing a plaid kimono and seems to be playing a double-Muyu, which is a musical instrument that looks like two giant wooden jingle bells. The Muyu is a Chinese / Japanese percussion instrument, also known as a Mokugyo Temple Block or Drum. In form, it is a slit drum, most often made of wood, carved and hollowed out through a shaped slit, then lacquered red and gold, and like the drum, it is played by tapping it with a stick. This instrument can be very large, but the smaller version can be held in the player's hand (as you see here), or placed on a cushion. These drums are played during Japanese kabuki, and noh theater performances, as well as folk music. The Ritsumeikan University, Art Research Center, Japan includes an impression of Actor Ichimura Kakitsu Playing a Muyu (Mokugyo) in its permanent collection, AcNO. arcUY0354.
	Actor Nakamura Shikan Playing a Shamisen: This original woodcut is one of two works created by Yoshiiku in 1862 for the kabuki play entitled, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka. It portrays the actor, Nakamura Shikan in the role of a street musician playing a shamisen. This play was staged in Edo at the Ichimura theatre, Bunkyu 02 (1862). There appears to have been seven generations of kabuki actors who adopted the name, Nakamura Shikan, the first was held by Nakamura Utaemon III. The actor Nakamura Shikan IV held this name from the 7th luna month of 1860 to January 1899. His stage names were 'Fukusuke I', 'Masanosuke I', 'Komasaburo', and 'Tamataro I'. Here, Nakamura Shikan plays the role of a street musician during a Kiyomoto Enju Dayu recital in a scene from a popular play of the day. He is wearing a plaid kimono and is seated on the left end of a bench while playing his shamisen with his right hand using a bachi (plectrum / pick), to strum, while his left hand adjusts the tenjin (knobs that controls the string tension). The shamisen is a Japanese three stringed musical instrument bearing a similarity to the lute. It is a remodeled version of the snake-skin covered 'sanshin or jabisen that was imported to Japan from the Ryukyu island during the Muromachi period. This instrument became an essential part of kabuki theatre performed by the hayashi, and of all music during the Edo period. The hayashi is a musical ensemble that utilize traditional Japanese instruments such as the the 'shamisen (seen here), often accompanied by various other instruments such as, the taiko drum, the otsuzumi, the kotsuzumi, the Muyu, and the nokan flute during the performances in the noh or kabuki theatre. Both actors are possibly playing the traditional Japanese kabuki music called 'nagauta' (long song), which is a Japanese musical/theatrical genre, a lyrical form of shamisen music, sung in unison chorus in kabuki. Kabuki, along with Noh and ningyo joruri is one of the three most prominent forms of traditional Japanese theater. Although kabuki was greatly influence by the more formal, symbolic, poetic, and spiritual noh, it became a popular entertainment for the masses due to its dramatic, and spectacular, productions. It also became more intertwined with ukiyo-e woodblock prints and popular publishing. The Ritsumeikan University, Art Research Center, Japan includes an impression of Actor Nakamura Shikan Playing a Shamisen in its permanent collection, AcNO. arcUY0353.
	Yoshitoshi also created at least four original individual woodcuts in diptych format portraying the actors, Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan playing the role of street musicians in the 1862 kabuki play entitled, Tamuke no Shikishi Kakitsu no Futsutsuka. However, although there is no question concerning the subject or the sitters, there are variations in both of Yoshitoshi's versions. In his first diptych, both actors are wearing short black kimonos, Nakamura Shikan is playing the Shamisen while standing and in his portrayal of Ichimura Kakitsu, the actor's left leg is raised as if he was caught in a dance position while playing the muyu. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston includes a Yoshitoshi impression of Actors Ichimura Kakitsu & Nakamura Shikan as Street Musicians in its permanent collection, Accession Number, 11.22593-4, and 11.22593-4. In Yoshitoshi's second version (diptych), portraying both actors, they are wearing the plaid kimonos, as seen in Yoshiiku's version, but Nakamura Shikan is seated more towards the center of the bench and his left hand is closer to the base of the Shamisen. And in Ichimura Kakitsu's portrayal, the actor is in a crouched position turned to the side while he plays the muyu. Also, part of the left panel image (the bench) flows into the right panel.
Size:	13 7/8 X 9 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	UnMatted
Buy Now	Price: $985.00 US
Condition:	These two original oban sized woodcuts are the left and right panels of a diptych. They are printed on mid nineteenth century Japanese mulberry (rice) paper and with full margins as published by Kagaya Kichibei of Ryogoku in 1862. The left panel is In excellent condition throughout and showing the wood grain of a very early impression. The right panel contains slight spotting and is a bit wrinkled in the lower part of the image (near the musician's left foot), else in excellent condition throughout. These two original woodcuts represents a superb example of the early art and the classic talents of Yoshiiku.
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