Comment - Group portrait depicting a variety of kabuki actors in character with a text panel characterising the actors across the top. In the right panel at center, a young monk with a shaved head carries a maple branch over his shoulder with a gourd container tied to it. In the center panel at upper right, a man in purple and white kimono holds a mask in each hand. In the left panel at upper left, a Yakko-kite ("奴凧, "yakko-dako") or man kite is suspended from a cord, as usual at screenplays. The Yakko wears a purple and white kimono with his sleeves spread wing like wings. A young woman in the center holds two horse puppets for a traditional New Year's dance.

The white shields with characters hold by several actors on the lrft panel (lower right), as well as center panel (lower left), and right panel (upper right and center) seem to be troupe logos. The (male) lady actor with the spiky head gear in the center of the left panel is plaing the character of courtesan Umegae in the screenplay "Hirakana Seisuiki". The three (male) actor ladies in the center panel (center left) with the red head gear are performing "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji", a kabuki play of a young girl, that fell in love with a priest. A pethora of more than 35 kabuki actors in different stage plays. You may detect many more actors, when roaming specialized kabuki websites.

Red title cassette is on the right panel, upper right (大佐良比花幕明). The elaborate text on the white cassette spanning on top over all three panels, gives the kabuki actors names and their respective rôles.


Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "ōju Toyohara Kunichika hitzu" ("應需 豊原国周 筆", "by order of Toyohara KUNICHIKA drawn") in white cassette with his red ring seal (Otoshidama-in 年玉印) on the left panel,lower left


Publisher - publisher's seal on center panel, center right (not determined)


Image Size - 35.6 X  72.1 cm (14 1/8" x 28 3/8") + margins as shown


Condition - triptych, three single panels; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);