Title : triptych print

Artist : Utagawa Toyokuni I

Date : 1808-1809

Details : More information...

Source : British Museum
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Description : Colour woodblock print, oban triptych. Seven kabuki actors offstage, depicted as the Seven Gods of Good Fortune (‘Shichifukujin’) on board the ‘treasure ship’ (‘takarabune’) here formed out of chrysanthemum blooms. From the right, right sheet: Matsumoto Koshiro V as Bishamonten standing with a spear in one hand and a miniature pagoda in the other; Bando Mitsugoro III seated below as Fukurokuju holding a Chinese-style fan and accompanied by a deer; Iwai Hanshiro V, standing, as Benzaiten holding a four-stringed biwa; centre sheet: Sawamura Gennosuke I as Daikokuten seated holding a mallet and carrying a large treasure sack on his back; Onoe Eizaburo I as Ebisu standing with a large sea bream under one arm and a fishing rod over one shoulder; left sheet: Segawa Senjo as Jurojin standing with a staff, to the end of which is tied a scroll; and Nakamura Utaemon III as Hotei seated holding a Chinese-style fan with one arm resting on a large sack. This design represents the ninth month in a series of triptychs illustrating the twelve months.

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