Title : Nakamura Rikö I as Tanba-ya Otsuma and Ichikawa Yaozö III as Furute-ya Hachiröbei

Artist : Torii Kiyonaga

Date : 1785

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : Torii Kiyonaga was one of the most famous ukiyo-e artists of his generation and contributed significantly to the art of the full-color print, which used multiple blocks bearing separate ink colors to achieve a lively array of hues quite different from the "red painted" technique previously seen. Although Kiyonaga was primarily known for his prints of beautiful women, he inherited the task of being the premier Kabuki artist when he was named as the fourth-generation Torii representative after studying under Torii Kiyomitsu (1735-1785). This print features the characters Otsuma and Hachiröbei from Sakurada Shisuke's play Evening at Sakamachi Crossroads, performed in Edo in 1785 at the Nakamura-za Theater. Otsuma is a courtesan who reluctantly dismisses her lover Hachiröbei for financial reasons despite her feelings for him. Hachiröbei is so angered by her dismissal that he comes to kill her, as depicted in this scene, but after the deed is done he discovers a note revealing her love, indicated here by the paper trailing at Otsuma's feet. Otsuma is played by the onnagata Nakamura Rikö I (1742-1786) and Hachiröbei by Ichikawa Yaozö III (1747-1818). This image is one of Kiyonaga's many degatari prints, which show the musical accompaniment, consisting of a chanter and shamisen player, performing in a space beside the stage where they can be seen by the audience.

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