Accession Number
2003/1.497

Title
Diary of the Tokaidō ABCs: Sawamura Tanosuke III as Otani, younger sister of Minezō

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1861

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 in x 9 13/16 in (35.6 cm x 24.9 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Label copy
Gallery Rotation Fall 2013
Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada)
Japan, 1786–1864
Sawamura Tanosuke [III] As Otani, Younger Sister of Minezô
Edo period (1615–1868)
1861
Color woodblock print on paper
Gift of Dr. James Hayes, 2003/1.497

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, an elegantly dressed woman holds a hand up by her face.  Her robes are black with orange, yellow, and blue geometric patterns.  Her sash is gray with blue and yellow flowers.  She stands in front of rolling green hills and a forested mountain.

Inscriptions: Title: Minezō imōto Otani, Sawamura Tanosuke; Artist's signature: Toyokuni ga; Publisher's seal: Kinkyū; Carver's seal: Hori Shinchō; Censor's seal: Tori 7, aratame

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
mountains
theater (discipline)