Accession Number
2003/1.476

Title
Modern Comparisons of Actors and Flowers: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Tennichibō (Tiger Lily of Suzuka)

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1862

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 1/4 in x 9 7/16 in (36.2 cm x 23.9 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Subject matter
Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV was born to a family of kabuki actors in 1812. He was active in kabuki from 1820 until his death in 1866. He was known for his roles in jidaimono (period plays) and sewamono (contemporary plays) as well as for the techniques of chūnori (acting while suspended from the ceiling) and quick-changes (hayagawari).

These prints are two from a series that compared thirty-six popular actors to flowers. Like in many series printed in the Edo period, the use of thirty-six comparisons references the thirty-six poet immortals. The poet immortals were a set of illustrious historical figures prized for their poetic ability.

Mitate (literally meaning look and compare) images were usually indicated by the use of the word mitate in the title, though it sometimes was omitted and viewers were meant to puzzle it out. This genre often juxtaposed contemporary figures such as kabuki actors with historical figures such as the poet immortals. Edoites enjoyed these layered meanings and would have made the connection between this series and the poet immortals with relative ease.


 

Physical Description
A man holds the head of a monster. The monster is red and has horns. The man looks away from the head. He wears a blue robe with white dots, and his hair is very short. Tiger lilies decorate the cartouche behind him.

Inscriptions: Tosei mitate sanjūroku kasen; Toyokuni ga (Artist's signature); inu 4, aratame (Censor's seal); Yorozuchō, Hiranoya (Publisher's seal)

 

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
actors
actors (performing artists)
flower (plant material)
kabuki
men (male humans)
theater (discipline)