Accession Number
2003/1.585

Title
Sawamura Tanosuke [III] as Kunishichi's (?) wife, O...

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada II

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1859-1865

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 5/16 in. x 9 1/2 in. ( 36.4 cm x 24.1 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
This is a print of a woman.  She wears a dark striped robe with red trim.  Behind her is a room partition in front of paper walls and a wooden sliding door.  The sash she is carrying is black with gold trim on one end and two Chinese characters.
 
Inscriptions: Artist’s signature: Kunisada ga; Publisher’s seal: Shitaya, Aito; Censor’s seal: Aratame, I 3; Kunishichi nyōbō Okaji, Sawamura Tanosuke

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
actors
interior spaces (spaces by location)
kabuki
obis
theater (discipline)