Accession Number
2003/1.583.2

Title
Thousand-year Crane and New Year's Decoration Soga Brothers: Sawamura Tosshō II as Wabisuke's Daughter Koshizu and Nakamura Tsuruzō I as Pot-peddler Wabisuke

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada II

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1865

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 7/16 in x 9 3/4 in (36.67 cm x 24.77 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Subject matter
Actor Sawamura Tosshō II also held the name Suketakaya Takasuke IV.  He was born in 1838 and was active from the time he was a child until his death in 1886.  He began his career in Edo (present day Tokyo) and travelled frequently between Edo and Osaka.  He was born in Edo in 1809 and active from 1818 until shortly before his death in 1886.  He was known for his roles in jidaimono (period plays) as well as sewamono (contemporary plays).  He specialized in the role of villains and was particularly good at budōgoto (martial arts).

Nakamura Tsuruzō I, also known as Nakamura Nakazō III, was born in Edo in 1809 and active from 1818 until shortly before his death in 1886.  He was known for his roles in jidaimono (period plays) and sewamono (contemporary plays) in which he performed as tachiyaku (lead protagonist) and jitsuaku (villain).

This play is one of the many variations of the story of the Soga brothers, one of the most popular revenge stories of the Edo period.  The story is based on a late Kamakura period (1185-1333) book, Soga monogatari that tells the tale of two brothers, Jūrō and Gorō, who take revenge for their father on Kudō Suketsune in 1193.  The brothers were executed, and it is thought that the story may have been written to pacify their spirits.
 

Physical Description
A woman stands behind an old man, holding onto his arm as he cowers. The man grasps a thin pole, while a hand from off the print pushes his hand down. The woman is dressed in a multi-colored robe with several different patterns and a red sash that matches her hair tie. A rose hair-pin pokes out of her hair. The man wears a brown and black checked robe over a pin-striped robe of blue and gold. A blue cloth is tied around his head. A green and white banner hangs over a bright blue background.

This is the right print of a diptych (with 2003/1.583.1).

Inscriptions: Wabisuke musume Koshizu; Sawamura Tosshō; Dokkiuri Wabisuke; Nakamura Tsuruzō; Publisher's seal: Kichi Isekane: Censors' seal: Ushi 2, aratame; Artist's signature: Kunisada ga

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
kabuki
kimonos
merchants
theater (discipline)
women (female humans)