Backstage Celebrations of a Full-house Hit at the Nakamura Theater

Accession Number
1969/2.143

Title
Backstage Celebrations of a Full-house Hit at the Nakamura Theater

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1811-1814

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 1/2 in x 9 13/16 in (36.8 cm x 24.9 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase for the Paul Leroy Grigaut Memorial Collection

Subject matter
This image depicts the backstage area of Nakamura-za Theater following a successful performance. The Nakamura-za Theater was one of three kabuki theaters in Edo (Tokyo) and home to many famous kabuki actors. According to early accounts, it opened in 1624. After several turbulent decades, it finally closed in 1893.

 

Physical Description
This image shows several men and women engaged in activitties in three different rooms.  At the bottom of the image, two men try to feed a young child.  To the left, a man beckons from his seat on a red mat that extends out of the image.  Piles of clothes and full cabinets add to the clutter of the scene.  Small lines of text hover near each person, identifying him.

This is the right panel of a tryptich (with 1969/2.144 and 1969/2.145).

Inscriptions: Nishimuraya Yohachi (Publisher's seal); Kunisada ga (Artist's signature)
 

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)
backstages
calligraphy
interiors
theaters (institutions)

1 Related Resource

Japan Pax Tokugawa 1600-1868
(Part of: Empires and Colonialism)

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted