The Property of a Collector
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864) | The actor Bando Takesaburo I in the role of the Clerk (Tedai) Seishichi | Edo period, 19th century
Lot Closed
March 24, 02:32 PM GMT
Estimate
1,000 - 1,500 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Property of a Collector
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864)
The actor Bando Takesaburo I in the role of the Clerk (Tedai) Seishichi
Edo period, 19th century
woodblock print, from the series Seven Flourishing Plants on Lanterns for Summer Evenings (Suzumi chochin sakari no nanakusa), signed Toyokuni ga within toshidama cartouche, censor's seals Fuku (Fukushima Saburoemon) and Muramatsu (Muramatsu Genroku), published by Ibaya Senzaburo (Dansendo), 6th month 1852, framed and glazed
Vertical oban:
36.4 x 25.7 cm., 14⅜ x 10⅛ in. (excluding frame)
49.7 x 39 cm., 19⅝ x 15⅜ in. (including frame)
London Gallery, Tokyo
The kabuki actor portraits in this series appear in a circular inset on the side of boldly checked paper lanterns with poem slips tied to the bottom. The pattern on the lanterns, also called Benkei-goshi or 'Benkei-check', became popular in the Edo period following the success of the play Kanjincho and the stage costume of Benkei dressed in a mountain priest costume.
As Bando Takesaburo I only performed this role in the 11th month of the year, almost half a year after this print was published, it can be inferred that the design here is an imagined role, or mitate.
For another impression in the collection of the Museum of Replica Handbags s, Boston, accession number 11.29739, go to:
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/219360/actor-bando-takesaburo-i-as-the-clerk-tedai-seishichi-fro