Comment - Kabuki triptych with scene
inside a kite shop. An incredible array of kites of all shapes
and sizes decorates the interior, many featuring portraits of
actors in character. At right, a worker gathers the many
bridle lines attached to a light blue Edo kite with a white
kanji character on it, bundles of string and a pair of
scissors on the floor nearby. He grimaces over his shoulder at
a mother and daughter looking at his wares. At left, a boy
with a curious grin carries a smaller kite with a reel of
sting attached to it. In the center, a large rectangular kite
of Daruma leans against the wall beneath a yakko-dako or man
kite and another of a bird-of-prey with a fish caught in its
beak. At upper left, another kite takes the form of an octopus
holding a folding fan, a dotted towel tied around its head.
The title of this print is written on the red-white-green
cassette upper right side on the right panel. Identified
kabuki actors are Sawamura Totsushō (沢村訥升), Arashi Kanmuri
Gorō (嵐冠五郎), Nakamura Shikan (中村芝翫), and Ichimura Kakitsu
(市村家橘) (all on right panel).
Left panel
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Kites |
1
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Octopus kite with a white fan and two
kanji characters ("Gi Sho", may be a name); a dotted
towel is tied around its head |
2
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Edo kite ("Edo tako", "江戸 凧") with a
malicious grinning face, two feet (yellowish) directly
attached to the monster |
3
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Edo kite (only lower half to be seen;
"Edo Kanji kite", "Edo ji tako", "江戸 字凧")
with blue kanji character on white background |
4
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Figure kite, representing a yakko (but
not a yakko kite) with a straw hat, offering a box |
5
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Edo kite with a red coloured man, may
be "Momotaro", the peach boy as a grown-up |
6
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A colourful Edo kite standing on the
ground and leaning on the wall; decorated with two
kabuki actors representing warriors; the lower actor
with red stripes, representing anger |
7
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Edo kite with a rice straw decorated
penis, held by a sitting person
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8
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Edo kite with a white kanji character
on blue background
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Signature - Kunichika ga (国周画,
as of center and left sheets) |
Center panel
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Kites |
9
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Bird-of prey kite with a caught fish in
its beak
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10
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Kite with a white face and black hat,
directly behind the bird-of-prey kite
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11
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Edo kite with kabuki actors,
representing a female and a male character
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12
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A Yakko kite ("yakko-dako", "奴凧") with
diamond shaped family crests on the sleeves
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13
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Edo kite with blue diagonal
stripes and a lage red chrysantemum, the imperial
Symbol and National flower of
Japan
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14
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Edo kite with a large Daruma face
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15
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A small Edo kite with white kanji
character on a blue background; the kite is partly
concealed by a large yellow box
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Signature - Kunichika ga (国周画,
as of center and left sheets) |
Right panel -
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Kites |
16
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Edo kite with two male kabuki
characters, one carrying a fan, the other one carrying
a drum
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17
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Edo kite with a kabuki actors portrait,
carrying a big sword
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18
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Edo kite with a female character
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19
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Edo kite with a blue cross-triped
pattern and a red sun symbol in the center; the sun
carries a kanji character
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20
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Edo kite with green background and a
red sword above, and a red cassette with three kanji
characters
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21
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small Edo kite with a kabuki actors
portrait
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22
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Edo kite with white character on light
blue background; the Edo is completely rigged with
twelve bridle lines
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23
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small kite with white kanji on red
background, nearly completely concealed behind a big
box, a tea pot, and the cassette with KUNICHIKAS
signature
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Signature - Ôju Kunichika ga (
応需国周画, only on right sheet) |
Artist - see
Biography
Signature - (see above panel descriptions)
Publisher - Iseya Tôkichi (Daikyō-dō, 大京堂), cf.
seal; Blockcutter Katada Chôjirô (HoriChô, 彫長),
cf. seals
Image Size - 71.6 X 36.2 cm (28 1/4"
x 14 1/4")
Condition - triptych, three panels attached at the
seams; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban
tate-e);