Accession Number
2003/1.488

Title
Mirrors for Collage Pictures in the Modern Style: Sawamura Tanosuke III as Shinzō Nakoso

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1859

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 1/2 in x 10 1/4 in (36.8 cm x 26 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Label copy
Gallery Rotation Fall 2013
Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada)
Japan, 1786–1864
Modern Mirrors (Imayô Oshie Kagami): The Shinzô Nakoso
Edo period (1615–1868)
circa 1859
Color woodblock print on paper
Gift of Dr. James Hayes, 2003/1.488

Subject matter
This print shows actor Sawamura Tanosuke III who was born into a family of kabuki actors in 1845. He was active from the time he was a child, in 1849, until his death in 1878.  He was best known for his onnagata—“female form” or “female role”—roles and for contemporary plays.  

Physical Description
A portrait of a woman is encircled by a black frame decorated with gold crests. Pieces of fabric around the frame give the appearance of depth. The woman is dressed in layers of colourful robes with her hands clasped in front of her. Long pins decorate her black hair. Lines of calligraphy decorate the background along with cartouches and texture.

Inscriptions: Imayō oshi-e kagami (Title); Shōrindō (Publisher's seal); Toyokuni ga (Artist's signature); Hitsuji 9, aratame (Censors' 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 (performing artists)
kimonos
mirrors
poems
women (female humans)