Sound of the Bit and the Colors of the Bridle: Sawamura Tanosuke III as Koshimoto Kozakura

Accession Number
2003/1.493.2

Title
Sound of the Bit and the Colors of the Bridle: Sawamura Tanosuke III as Koshimoto Kozakura

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1861

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 3/16 in x 9 13/16 in (36.1 cm x 25 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Subject matter
Actor Sawamura Tanosuke III was born into a family of kabuki actors in 1845. He was active from the time he was a child, in 1849. In the later part of his life he suffered from an unknown ailment that caused him to have both feet and parts of his hands amputated.  In spite of his disability, he continued to perform until his death in 1878.  He was best known for his onnagata (“female form” or “female role”) roles and for contemporary plays.

Physical Description
In this print, a woman holds a sword in front of her.  She wears a red robe with a green bottom.  Behind her, a figure in a black robe with a white crest is visible.  In the background is a frame and pulley.  A tree stands out against the night sky.

This is the right panel of a diptych. 

Inscriptions: Koshimoto Kōzakura, Sawamura Tanosuke (Title); Toyokuni ga (Artist's signature); Jūichi (Publisher's seal); Tori 5, aratame (Censor'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
Pinus (genus)
actors
kabuki
kimonos
swords
theater (discipline)
water wells
women (female humans)

1 Related Resource

Kabuki Images
(Part of 10 Learning Collections)

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted