Ukiyo-e research notes

This is a very jumbled and chaotic assemblage of information that I use to help me identify Meiji-era yakusha-e prints. The lists of publisher, date or carver seals are in no way complete but they are provided just to add to the resources out there and provide an alternative view.

Useful miscellany

  • 明治十一年三四日 Meiji 11 3rd month 4th day literally: Meiji 11 year 3 [month] 4 day
  • 印刷 (insatsu) = (date of printing)
  • 印刷者 insatsusha (printer)
  • 発行 (date of publishing)
  • 発行者 (hakkousha) = publisher
  • 出版人 (shuppanjin) = publisher
  • 作印刷 saku insatsu (production and printing)
  • 臨写 risha (copying)
  • 画工 (gakō) = artist
  • 板 = block, so used to mean “block owner” at the end of the publisher’s details
  • 定価 (teika) = price
  • Artist’s real names:
    • Chikanobu = Hashimoto Naoyoshi (橋本 直義) = Chikanobu (artistic name, 楊洲 周延 Yoshu Chikanobu)
    • Chikashige = Morikawa Otojirō (守川音治郎)
    • Kunichika = Arakawa Yasohachi (荒川八十八画作)
    • Kunisada III / Kunimasa IV = Takenōchi Hidehisa (竹内栄久)
  • 見立 = mitate; mitate-e … tribute/imagined pictures not based on any play
  • 歌舞伎座 新 狂言 = Kabuki-za Shin Kyogen (new plays at the Kabuki-za theatre)
  • Karazuri – embossing
  • Bokashi – fades
  • Mika-e – mica powder on an image
  • Itame Mokuhan – imitation woodgrain
  • Aka-e = red pictures
  • Macron vowels: ŌŪ ōūē

Numbers in Japanese

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十
11 12 20 23 20 30 30 1    
十一 十二 二十 二十三 廿 丗 卅 正    

Searching keywords

歌川 Utagawa 國芳 Kuniyoshi
国貞 Kunisada 小国政 Kokunimasa
豊国 Toyokuni 広重 Hiroshige
豊原 国周 Toyohara Kunichika 広景 Hirokage
守川 周重 Morikawa Chikashige 廣貞 Hirosada
周延 Chikanobu 芳春 Yoshiharu
英泉 Eisen 芳幾 Yoshiiku
国明 Kuniaki 芳盛 Yoshimori
国利 Kunitoshi 芳虎 Yoshitora
国安 Kuniyasu 月岡 芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
香朝楼 Kōchōrō (Kunisada III) 貞虎 Sadatora
豊斎 Hosai 房種 Fusitane
楳堂 Baidō 安達 吟光 Adachi Ginko
国政 Kunimasa 哥麿 Utamaro
       
歌舞伎 Kabuki 歌舞伎 番付 Banzuke (playbill)
明治 Meiji 浮世絵 Ukiyo-e
三画 3 drawings 三枚 3 something

Print selling prices

Type of print Before Meiji (pre-1868) Around 1872/73
Ōban triptych with full-length figures 25 sen 100-150 sen
Ōban triptych with half-length figures 18 sen 7 rin 5 mō 75-100 sen (four actors; 100 sen if by Kunichika)
Single ōban warrior print (not listed) 5 sen
Single-sheet ōban toy print (omocha-e) 2 sen 25 sen (50 sen if by Yoshifuji, 75 sen for detailed version)
Fan print of beauties and actors in half-length (not listed) 50 sen
My prints
Kunichika 3-actor, framed, red-backed triptych 1868 6 sen
Chikashige 8-actor, blue-backed triptych 1881 10 sen

Famous kabuki roles and their visual clues

Play Role Features
“Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie” (aka. Kagamiyama) AND the sequel Iwafuji 岩藤 Kimono with pine and wisteria; with sandal in her hand

 

https://www.kabuki21.com/kagamiyama.php
“Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji” (the sequel to Kagamiyama featuring the revenge of the ghost of Iwafuji) The ghost of Iwafuji 局岩藤亡魂 Kimono with pine and wisteria often with big letters 岩藤 written on it

 

https://www.kabuki21.com/gonichi_no_iwafuji.php
Soga Monogatari Soga Goro
曽我五郎		 Butterflies on his kimono
Soga Juro
曽我十郎		 Plovers on his kimono
Sukeroku (a side-story to Soga Monogatari) Sukeroku
助六		 Wears a purple headband tied on the RIGHT – is actually Soga Goro – the sake seller is his brother Shinbê is Soga Juro
Miuraya Agemaki

 

揚巻

 Often wears a leaping Koi design on her kimono in the first half of the play
Ikyū 意休 An old man with long grey hair and posh sword
Mukashi Moyō Sato no Sayaate. [scene usually set looking along a main-street with a cherry tree in the middle – 2 men facing-off and being held back by 1 or more people] Fuwa Banzaemon
不破伴左衛門		 Wears a kimono decorated with a pattern of “lightning-in-the-clouds”
Nagoya Sanza

 

名古屋山三

 Wears a kimono decorated with a “swallows-in-the-rain” pattern
Meiboku Sendai Hagi Nikki Danjō
仁木彈正		 Dressed in grey, holding the scroll containing the list of conspirators in his mouth & a giant rat
Kanjincho (the subscription list) Yoshitsune 義経 Handsome, slight man with straw hat
Benkei 弁慶 Big, well-dressed man with little black cap tied on with white rope and holding a scroll
Togashi 富樫 Tall, curved black hat with a (pale blue) kimono decorated with plovers

Table of actor first & last names

First name A-Z Last name A-M Last name M-Z
Arashi = 嵐

 

Bandō = 坂東

Ichikawa = 市川

Ichimura = 市村

Iwai = 岩井

Kataoka = 片岡

Kawarazaki = 河原崎

Matsumoto = 松本

Nakamura = 中村

Nakayama = 中山

Onoe = 尾上

Otani = 大谷

Sawamura = 沢村

Seki = 関

Suketakaya = 助高屋

 Chokuro = 長九郎

 

Danjūrō = 團十郎

Denkuro = 伝九郎

Fukusuke = 福助

Ganjiro = 鴈治郎

Gonjūrō = 権十郎

Gonnosuke = 権之助

Hanshirō = 半四郎

Heikuro = 平九郎

Hikosaburō = 彦三郎

Hikozaemon = 彦左衛門

Ichizo = 市蔵

Jakuemon = 雀右衛門

Kakitsu = 家橘

Kamenojo = 亀之丞

Kanzaburo = 勘三郎

Kikugorō = 菊五郎

Kikujiro = 菊次郎

Kodanji = 小団次

Kumesaburo = 粂三郎

Kuzō = 九蔵

Matakuro = 又九郎

Mitsugorō = 三津五郎

Nakazo = 仲蔵

Nizaemon = 仁左衛門

 Rikan = 璃寛

 

Sadanji = 左団次 or 左團治

Sagisuke = 鷺助

Sanjūrō = 三十郎

Sanohachi = 佐野八

Sansho = 三升

Shijaku = 紫若

Shikan = 芝翫

Shinkuro = 新九郎

Shinsui = 薪水

Sojuro = 宗十郎

Taganojo = 多賀之丞

Takasuke = 高助

Takematsu = 竹松

Takenojo = 竹之丞

Tamakashi = 玉柏

Tamizo = 多見蔵

Tanosuke = 田之助

Tokuro = 得郎 or 徳郎

Tomoemon = 友右衛門

Tossho = 訥升

Tsuruzo = 鶴蔵

Utaemon = 歌右衛門

Uzaemon = 羽左衛門

Yoshigoro = 良五郎

Famous actors

person name born change died
“Dan-Kiku-Sa” Kawarasaki Chôjûrô III 1838 1845-01  
Kawarasaki Gonjûrô I   1852-09  
Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII   1869-03  
Kawarasaki Sanshô   1873-09  
Ichikawa Danjūrō IX
 市川団十郎		   1874-07 1903-09-13
“Dan-Kiku-Sa” Ichimura Kurôemon 1844-06-04 1848-11  
Ichimura Uzaemon XIII   1851-01  
Ichimura Kakitsu IV   1863-spr  
Onoe Kikugorō V
 尾上菊五郎		   1868-08 1903-02-18
“Dan-Kiku-Sa” Ichikawa Tatsuzô 1842 1848  
Ichikawa Koyone   1851  
Ichikawa Shôjaku I   1862  
Ichikawa Sadanji I
 市川左団次		   1864 1904-08-07
  Nakamura Tamatarô I 1831-03-03 1831  
Nakamura Komasaburô   ?  
Nakamura Masanosuke I   1838  
Nakamura Fukusuke I   1839-04  
Nakamura Shikan IV
 中村芝翫		   1860-07 1898-10
  Bandô Tsurunosuke I 1832 1842-11  
Bandô Takesaburô I   1846-01  
Bando Hikosaburō V
 坂東彦三郎		   1856-03 1877-10-13
  Sawamura Tosshō II
 沢村訥升		   1st lunar month of 1854 April 1879
  Nakamura Fukusuke III (Takasagoya) 中村福助   3rd lunar month of 1868 September 1907
  Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Narikomaya)   May 1881 April 1901

Aniline colours

Taken from Cesaratto et.al. (2018) “A timeline for the introduction of synthetic dyestuffs in Japan during the late Edo and Meiji periods”.

Name Colour Used from Note
Rosaniline

 

Basic red 14

Magenta

Fuchsine

 Purple 1864 Triarylmethane class; synthesized by Natanson (1856) and August Wilhelm von Hofmann (1858), it was first patented and manufactured in 1859 in France using the process of Verguin, under the name of fuchsine, later popularly known as “magenta”. Fluoresces under green light.

 

Usually used in combination with Prussian blue for a more bluish color. From 1875, it was usually mixed or replaced with Methyl Violet for a stronger purple.
Pararosaniline

 

Basic red 9

 Colourful Red blue 1869 Triarylmethane class; Pararosaniline is the non-methylated homolog of rosaniline. It’s not possible to easily separate this from rosaniline in prints.
Safflower Red

 

Natural red 26

Carthamine

benibana

 Red antiquity Chalcone class; natural (vegetal).
Carmine

 

Carminic acid
cochineal

 Red 1869 – 1891 Obtained from insects; natural (animal). Often combined with vermillion.
Methyl Violet

 

Basic violet 1

 Blue purple 1875 Triarylmethane class; Synthetized: 1861, As artists’ material: 1866.
Crystal Violet

 

Basic violet 3

 Bright blue purple 1883 Triarylmethane class; Both Methyl Violet & Crystal Violet are very prone to photo-fading, which demethylates them to pararosaniline. So it is hard to work out whether these were mixed with “magenta” or not.
Eosin Y

 

acid red 87; solvent red 43

 Brilliant yellow red / brilliant pink 1877 Xanthene class; synthesized 1871; Eosin did not replace Carmine, but was often used in mixture with it for dark reds, while it was used alone for pinks. Used for cherry blossoms.
Ponceau 2R

 

Acid red 26

 Colourful red yellow 1889 Naphthol class*; synthesized 1878; replaced Carmine.
Cotton Scarlet
Acid red 73		 Yellow light red 1892~ Naphthol class; synthesized in 1882 by Limpach and in 1883 by H. Hoffmann
Brilliant Scarlet

 

Acid red 18

 Red 1895~ Naphthol class; synthesized by Baum in 1878
  • Naphthol reds give a bright red hue. Because of their high solubility in water they bleed through the paper (and the backing, if any), and are characteristically visible on the back of the prints. These tended to be very garish and were used most often as accents, not big blocks of colour.
  • The introduction of magenta as a new purple in 1864 always involved a mixture with Prussian blue, presumably to adjust the hue and saturation of the printed color. This mixing is clearly visible comparing the front and the back in a print dated 1870, reported in Fig. 7. Magenta has been more absorbed by the paper substrate, making the back appear more pink, while the front is a deep purple tone.
  • The naphthol reds that appeared from 1889 were used in mixture with vermilion in several cases. This seems to have been a common practice in the production of lithographic inks, where it was most likely added to increase the opacity of the ink. Mixtures of naphthol red and eosin, sometimes with vermilion added, were also detected.

Name Colour Used from Note
realgar (α-AsS) Orange / red Edo Arsenic sulfides – occurring naturally but synthesised artificially
pararealgar

 

(β-AsS)

 Yellow Edo  
orpiment (As2S3) Yellow Edo Large scale manufacture in the late Edo(>1846). Used with Prussian Blue to make green
alacranite (As8S9) Red Edo rare

Luo, Yanbing (2016) Synthetic arsenic sulfides in Japanese prints of the Meiji period

Design clues in Kunichika prints

Feature Date range
Solid red backgrounds Should come in after 1869 when artificial dyes were introduced
Diagonal split screens 1865(?), 1874-1883
Black & gold frames around the margin 1870-1877, plus an outlier labelled “1880s” an a Chikashige from 1883
Green frame 1873
Red frame 1873-1874
“Quilted”, dotted stars, red backgrounds 1869-1880
Grey/silver ink that stains brown 1881-1883 & 1896

Carver’s seals

Seal Name
ホリ徳 Hori toku
彫勇 Hori Isamu
Hori Fuji? 彫藤
Hori Cho – Katada Chojirō (片田彫長)
Horikō Gin 彫工銀 Asai Ginjirō. Active from at least 1875 to 1890

 

Horikō Ginjirō 彫工銀次郎 Kunichika 1881 & Chikashige 1883
Watanabe Eizō (渡辺栄蔵) Kunichika 1872-10 x2

 

Horiko Eikō 彫工栄 … Watanabe Eizō (渡辺栄蔵) Kunichika 1867

Hori Eikō 彫栄 … Watanabe Eizō (渡辺栄蔵) Kunichika 1867

渡辺彫栄 Watanabe Hori Eiko
彫小三 = Hori Kozo???
Hori Mino 彫巳の = Koizumi Minokichi [Yoshiiku 1866]

 

1850-1871
Horiko Yata 彫工弥太

 

Watanabe Yatarō (渡辺 弥太郎)

[Kunichika 1870s]

Horiko Yatarō 彫工弥太郎

[Kunichika 1870s]

Hori Yata 彫弥太
Hori Uta 彫卯多
Horikō Tashichi 彫工多七 [Kunichika 1860s]
unknown
Horikō Masukichi 彫工舛吉 Carver’s seal. We know that this carver worked on a Kunichika triptych in 1867 and 1868. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston says that this man’s name was Ōta Masukichi.

 

[Kunichika 1868]
Horiko Komachi 彫工駒吉
Horikō Kane 彫OO兼

 

Koizumi Kanegorō

[Yoshiiku]
Horikō Hidekatsu 彫工秀勝
Hori Mori = 彫守 (1884)
Hori Shin (彫新)

 

Found on an 1890 (Meiji 21, month 11) print by Kunisada III (signed “Baidō Kōchōrō hitsu” with a toshidama ring.

Publisher’s seals

Pre 1875
Daikokuya Kinzaburō (?Kinzaburo Yamamura)

 

See also below in 1875+ section
甚 Maruya Jinpachi 丸屋 甚八 (1861)
Kiyomizuya
Tsutaya Kichizō

 

(see panel below)
Gusokuya Kahei
土橋政田屋板 (Dobashi Matadaya jan) = 政田屋 平吉 / 政田屋 兵吉 (Masadaya Heikichi) (1869-1875) Marks #25-448 | 302e

 

Kunichika 1869 series prints

Kunichika 1870 print
unknown
unknown
瓦町 森本 seal reading Kawaramachi 瓦町, Morimoto 森本 seal of Morimoto Junzaburō 森本 順三郎 [Marks: seal 25-116, pub. ref. 349]
Bun, Tsujibun han, (Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (辻岡屋文助) (address: Yokoyamachō Sanchōme) (used 1867-72) Marks# 23-067 (actually this shows the publisher mark was used until 1875)

 

Tsujiokaya Bunsuke?? 辻岡屋　文助 / 文、辻文板、よこ山町三丁目
The publisher mark is 万 Man, in use 1873-74. This is Yorozuya Magobē (万屋 孫兵衛), in operation from ca. 1865 to 1919 in the Nohonbashi district of Edo/Tokyo.

 

万版元 man hanmoto. Yorozuya Magobē

万屋　孫兵衛

(used red & gold border)
Eikyudo (aka Yamamoto-ya Heikichi and Yamamoto Kyūbei)
Kisaku? Similar to 25-546 | 251b but missing the second character
Kiya Sakutarō 1868-74

 

(1868? Kunichika)
Kiya Sōjirō
万丁 平のや Yorozuchō Hiranoya, in use 1863-64; this is Shiranoya Shinzō (平野屋 新蔵), in operation from II/1861 to ca. 1869 in the Nihonbashi Yorozuchō district of Edo/Tokyo.
Fujiokaya Keijirō
The publisher seal reads くら前、辻亀板 Kuramae, Tsujikame han (block), in use 1871-72. This is Tsujiokaya Kamekichi 辻岡屋 亀吉, seal name Tsujikame 辻亀, in business from ca. 1866 to 1918 in the Ryogoku (around 1866), Asakusa Kuramae (ca. 1871-72), Asakusa Kawaramachi (ca. 1873-82) and Nihonbanshi Bakurochō district of Edo/Tokyo.

 

(used black & gold border)

Kame / Tsujikame 1869 Kunichika
Dobashi Masadaya han 土橋政田屋 版; trade name Masadaya Heikichi
丸屋鉄治郎 = Maruya Tetsujirō (= 小林 鉄次郎 = Kobayashi Tetsujirō)

1875 and later
出版人 佐々木豊吉

 

seal of the publisher Sasaki Toyokichi

[Marks pub ref. 450; this seal not shown but the last five characters on the seal are similar to seal 25-209 and read 佐々木豊吉]
印刷兼発行者堤吉兵衛 堤　吉兵衛 Tsutsumi Yoshibē
荒井 喜三郎 Arai Kisaburō seal of the publisher Iseya Kisaburō

 

[Marks: seal ref. 26-124; pub. ref. 148]

Left half: 出板人 荒井 喜三郎 shuppanjin (publisher) Arai Kisaburō

南?馬町二丁目二バンチ Nantenmachō Nichōme 2-banchi
Fukase Kamejirō 深瀬亀次郎
長谷川園吉 Hasegawa Sonikichi Address: 小傳馬町三丁目 十七バンチ
Yamamura Kinzaburō 山村金三郎
福田熊治郎 Fukuda Kumajirō

 

[Marks: seal not shown; pub. ref. 071]

IHL Cat. #345
横山良八 Yokoyama Ryōhachi
吉田 喜代松 Yoshida Kiyomatsu
Asano Kinnosuke (浅野 金之助)

 

At Tokyo Asakusa Yamanoschukuchō 42-banchi (浅草山ノ宿町四十二バンチ)
Imaizumi Kichizō 今泉吉蔵
Tsutaya Kichizō 蔦屋吉蔵 seal reading 出板人林吉蔵 (shuppanjin Hayashi Kichizō)

 

(see seal above) from a 1879 Kunchika print
小森作太郎 Komori Sakutarō 1881-1895
(became Sakujirō)
森本順三郎 Morimoto Junzaburō (on an 1898 Kunisada III print)

 

Then on an 1881 Chikashige print
武川卯之助 Takegawa Unosuke (on a Kunisada III / Baidō Kōchōrō 1892 print)

 

Same as 武川卯之吉 Takekawa Unokichi
福田熊次郎 Fukuda Kumajirō
Morimoto Junzaburō 森本 順三郎

 

Kunichika? used black & gold borders)

Chikashige 1881
[馬喰町三丁目十九番地] (Tokyo Nihonbashi Bakurochō Sanchōme 19-banchi)

 

[出版人] (publisher)

[井上茂兵(衞)] Inoue Mohei

[價七浅五厘] (something about a good price?)
Publisher:

 

  • [出版人] (shuppanjin) = publisher
  • [蛎売町二丁目八番地] = Kakiuri machi ni chōme 8-banchi [also the address of 懶川虎吉 Tatsukawa Kokichi]
  • [艮谷川忠兵衛] = Ushitora Tanigawa Chūbee
  • [彫工 OOO七] = Horiko
Fukuda Hatsujirō 福田初次郎 (1894-1939)

 

Nihobahsi-ku Hasegawachō 19-banch

Marks: seal 30-062

Print Kunisada III (1900)
Akiyama Buemon 秋山 武右工門 / 秋山 武右衛門 (~1882-1920)

 

(Kunichika 1883)
Marks 26-063 | 204a

 

Shintomichō Rokuchōme 2-banchi hanmoto Kamiyama Seishichi (抻山清七)

C1877-84

found on an 1883 Kunichika print & 1881 Kunichika print
Publisher:

 

  1. Date: Meiji 19
  2. Artist: OOOOOOOOOO / 画工 gakō (artist) 荒川八十八 = Arakawa Yasohachi
  3. Publisher: OOOOOOOOOO / 出版人　平野栄太郎 Hirano Eitarō
辻岡文助 Tsujiokaya Bunsuke
1875 松村倉吉, Matsumura Kurayoshi
Tsujiokaya Kamekichi [綱島亀吉]

 

Tsujiokaya Kamekichi [綱島亀吉]
Publisher panels:

 

  • Small red: Price?
  • Big yellow (publisher): 出版人 小宮山昇 Komiyama Shōbei (Shōhei) 小宮山昇
  • Big red (artist): 荒川八十八 = Arakawa Yasohachi (=Kunichika)
  • Thin yellow: Date

Shohei Komiyama 出版人 小宮山昇 (Kunichika 1883)
片田 長治郎 Katada Chōjirō
Publication date: Meiji 9 (1876), August 5 (明治九年八月五日)

 

The designer: Arakawa Yatohachi (=Kunichika) ga (drew) (荒川 八十八画; there may be different reading for the personal name; his address above);

The publisher: Ueki Rin’nosuke han (block holder) (植木 林之助板; his address above).
Publisher: Komori Sōjirō (小森宗次郎)

 

Carver: Horikō Gin – Asai Ginjirō. Active from at least 1875 to 1890. Worked on Kunichika in 1875 to 1879 and in 1884 and ca. 1887.
In the publisher details:

 

Rightmost panel is the date of printing (Meiji 14, month 12)

Right-middle panel (red) is his address and name (守川音次郎 = 守川周重 = Morikawa Otojiro)

Left-middle panel (yellow) 出版 人(shuppanjin=publisher) Takeaki Mitsumata

Leftmost panel 定價十戔 price 10 sen ??

 

 Publisher: 小森 宗次郎 Komori Sōjirō
牧金之助

 

Maki Kinnosuke?
The publisher is Yamaguchiya Tōbei 山口藤兵衞, with the address already shown as Tokyo (formerly Edo), reading 東京馬喰町二丁目 Tokyo Bakurochō Nichōme; this publisher was in operation from ca. 1805 to 1895
Kagaya Kichibē?

 

加賀屋 吉兵衛
Tsutsumi Kichibē 堤吉兵衛 located at Tokyo Nihonbashi Yoshikawachō 5-banchi 日本橋区吉川町五番地 (this address matches the seal)

 

(not in Marks)
Tsutsumi Kichibē O吉兵工 (1893)

 

日本バシ区吉川丁五バンチ

=Nihon bashi-ku Yoshikawa Chō go banchi
Left: 1887? Meiji 20? Month 2, Day 20?

 

Middle: Unknown publisher 出版人(=publisher)

Right: 画工 橋本直義 artist Hashimoto Naoyoshi
武川 清吉 Takekawa Seikichi (Sawamuraya Seikichi) followed by address
Date: 1878 December 2nd [Meiji 11, 12, 02]

 

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tōbei
Morimoto Junzaburō 森本 順三郎 (1900 Kunichika print)
Date: Meiji20 / month 1 = 1887 January

 

Carver: Horiko Yata 彫工弥太

Publisher: 出版人 三宅 半四郎 = Miyake Hanshirō
Miyake Hanshirō 三宅　半四郎 [Marks: seal not shown; pub. ref. 338]
澤 久次郎 Sawa Kujirō
Unknown

 

出版人(Shuppanjin)

Gako: Takenōchi Hidehisa (竹内栄久) = real name of Kunisada III / Kunimasa IV

Censor/date seals

1st period: Kiwame (1790-1805)
Kiwame (1800-1802) from an early Kunimitsu

2nd period: Kiwame various (1805-1841)
c1820 Kiwame
Kiwame 1815-V/1842

3rd period: Nanushi censors (1842-1853)
Watanabe Jiemon 1843-1845
censor Murata Heiemon (this seal = 1843-1845)
Date: 1848; Censor: Kinugasa Fusajiro & Hama Yahei (1847-1848);
Muramatsu Genroku & Fukushima Giemon (1849-1853). 11th month of 1850
1852 (Rat intercalary); O – Fukushima Giemon, H – Muramatsu Genroku 1849-1853
1852 Rat 5 – Hama Yahei & Magomi Kangeyu 1849-1853
Rat/11 1852; Fukushima Giemon & Muramatsu Genroku
Date: 1847-52(?)

 

Censor: Hama Yahei & Magomi Kangeyu (1849-1853)
1850 – Hama Yahei & Magomi Kangeyu 1849-1853
1850s – Hama Yahei & Magomi Kangeyu 1849-1853
1850-51 [53 stations] N&G Mera Ta-ichiro & Murata Heiemon 1847-1850
1850-51 [53 stations] G&N Murata Heiemon & Mera Ta-ichiro 1847-1850
1850-51 [53 stations] K&I Kinugasa Fusajiro&Hama Yahei 1847-1848
1850-51 [53 stations] K&I Kinugasa Fusajiro&Hama Yahei 1847-1848
Censor: Muramatsu Genroku & Fukushima Giemon

 

Date: 1851 (Kaei 4), 9th month
date Ox/4 (1853?)

4th period: Aratame with oval date (1853-1858)
the year of tiger, Kaei 7th year, 1854, the ninth month
Tiger / 5 1854
Aratame 4th period

 

Date: Hare / 5? 1855
1856 aratame, Dragon 9
Aratame, the year of dragon, 1856 (Ansei 安政 3), the eleventh month.
Date: 1856 aratame, Dragon 6 = (Ansei 3), 6th month

5th period: Aratame with date inside (1859-1875)
Goat / 6 [1859]
Goat 4 = 1859 4th month
aratame 1859, Ansei 安政 6, July
1861 / 2 = Cock / 2
1862 (Bunkyû 2), 5th month
1862
1862 December
aratame 4th period seal / 1862 1862 (Bunkyû 2), 7th month
Unknown? 1862
1862 = Dog / ?
Dog / intercalary month [1862 / 8th month]
1864/5 = Rat / 5
1864 (apparently Rat 5 aratame)
aratame 1864 February
aratame 1865
5th period ~1864 to 1871 ?Ox / ?1 (Year Keio first year (1865))
1865 Ox / 5 aratame
Censor/Date: aratame January 1865;
1866? Tiger / 5 [1854 or 1866 or 1878]
Tiger / 1? Keio 02 (1866)
1866 aratame Tiger / 1
1867 / 3
seal 5th period, 1864-71 approximately; possibly 1867?

 

Looks like 1867 / 3 (above)
Hare over 3 = 1867
Hare over 4 = 1867
aratame 1867 (Keiô 3), 1st month
1868?
1868 aratame Tiger? Dragon? / 4th month
snake / 1 (1869)
5th period seal – Meiji 03 (1870) 3
1870
1870
1870-11 intercalary month
1870 (Meiji 3, 午十改, uma, the year of horse, 10th month, Aratame
Aratame Goat / 6 = 1871
aratame Goat / 9 = September 1871

6th period: Zodiac date in round seal (no aratame) (1872-1875)
unknown
1872 = Monkey (right) / 1 (left)?
1872/April = Monkey (right) / 4 (left)
1872 / 8 = Monkey / 8?
1872 / 8
1873 = Cock / 4
1873 = Cock / 4
1874 = Dog??!
1874 = Dog / ?
1874 = Dog / 11
1874 = Dog / 6?
1874 = dog / 6
1874 (1874-07) = Dog / ?
1874 = Dog / 5?
1875 = Boar / ?
1875 = Boar / 5

Artist signatures

Gigadō Ashiyuki

 

Gigadō Ashiyuki ga 戲画堂芦ゆ起画

      

Adachi Ginko

 

Shōsetsusai Ginkō hitsu 枩雪齋銀光筆

 

Irai shitagai Shinshō Ginko ga 依頼随眞匠銀光画

    

Toyohara Chikanobu

 

Chikanobu hitsu

 

Chikanobu ga

 

Yōshū Chikanobu hitsu

 

Chikanobu hitsu 1910?!

Morikawa Chikashige

 

Morikawa Chikashige hitsu

with toshidama seal

      

Utagawa Fusatane

  

Utagawa Hiroshige I

      

Utagawa Hiroshige II

      

Ikkei Shōsai

      

Utagawa Kokunimasa

 

Baidō Kokunimasa 楳堂小國政

      

Utagawa Kuniaki II

 

Ichiōsai Kuniaki hitsu 一凰斎国明画

 

Kuniaki ga

    

Toyohara Kunichika

Ichiōsai (一鶯斎), Ōsai (鶯斎)

1835-1900

(dates are just based on prints I have seen)

 

Kunichika ga

国周画

(1850s-1865/8, 1869)

 

Ōju Kunichika ga

應需国周画

(by demand…)

1859

 

??? Kunichika ga

1862

 

(Ichiyūsai?) Kunichika ga

1863

 

Ichiosai Kunichika hitsu

一鶯斎国周筆

1865

 

Kunichika hitsu

国周筆

(1863-1872, 1874)

 

Oju Kunichika hitsu

應需国周筆

1869

 

Toyohara Kunichika hitsu

豊原国周筆

(hexagonal chika)

(1870-1885)

 

Toyohara Kunichika hitsu

豊原国周筆

(square chika) (1884-1900)

Utagawa Kunimitsu

Kunimitsu (国満)

fl. c. 1800-1832

 

Toyokuni meijin Kunimitsu ga

      

Utagawa Kunisada I

Ichiyōsai (一陽斎), Kōchōrō (香蝶楼), Toyokuni III (豊国)

fl. 1807-1865

 

Kōchōrō Kunisada ga (1825-1861)

 

Ichiyūsai Kunisada ga (1811-)

 

nanajūkyū-sai Toyokuni hitsu (79 years old)

1864-1865

 

Toyokuni ga

Utagawa Kunisada II

Ichiyōsai (一陽斎), Kunimasa III (国政), Toyokuni IV (豊国)

1823-1880

 

Kunisada ga

  

Utagawa Kunisada III

Baidō (梅堂), Baidō (楳堂), Eikyū (栄久),
Hōsai (豊斎), Kōchōrō (香朝楼), Kunimasa IV (国政), Kunisada III (国貞), Toyokuni V (豊国)

1848-1920

 

Baidō Kunimasa hitsu

 

Kunimasa hitsu 国政筆

 

Kōchōrō hitsu 香朝楼筆

 

Hosai hitsu
豊齋筆

 
ōju Kōchōrō hitsu		      

Utagawa Kuniteru

 

Kuniteru hitsu

      

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

 

Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi ga

      

Unknown

 

應需楳O国登O画

      

Utagawa Sadatora

 

Sadatora ga

      

Utamaro

    

Ochiai Yoshiiku

 

Yoshiiku ga

 

Yoshiiku ga

 

Ikkeisai Yoshiiku hitsu

  

Utagawa Yoshitora

 

Yoshitora ga

 

Yoshitora ga

    

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Sakigake (Itsuki?) Yoshitoshi ga

 

一魁齋芳年画

      

Kabuki Jūhachiban

These are the 18 plays traditionally associated with the Ichikawa Danjūrō line of actors:


Fuwa* (1680)
Narukami (1684)
Shibaraku (1697)
Fudō (1697)

Uwanari* (1699)
Zōhiki (1701)		 Kanjinchō (1702) Sukeroku (1713)

Uirō Uri (1718)		 Oshimodoshi* (1727) Ya-no-Ne (1729) Kagekiyo (1732)

Kan’u (1737)		 Nanatsumen* (1740)
Kenuki (1742)		 Gedatsu* (1760)
Jayanagi* (1763) Kamahige (1769) * These plays are generally considered to be no longer performed (to have fallen out of the repertoire); however, revivals have been done, and continue to be done, while on the other hand some of those plays considered to still be in the repertoire may be performed only very infrequently.

Printing effects

Embossing

Chikanobu – Poems for the Four Seasons (1887)

Layered inks

Kunisada III (Kunimasa IV) 1888

Kunichika 1873 Kaga-Dyed with Plum Blossoms, Willows, and Cherry Blossoms

Restoration

Drying prints – from the Hermitage manual

  • For draining good a print you would need: Felt, Blotting paper, Clamp tool and plywood boards
  • Plywood is cut larger than a print, o-ban and you need about 4 clamps to press all angles of the cutted plywood.
  • Then you place a felt (many layers) on one of plywood sheets, then few layers of blotting papers and than a print, on top of the print you place blotting papers and felt after, and on top second sheet of plywood. All “sandwich” must be fixed by clamp tools.
  • And you need to change all blotting papers about after few hours.

Removing dirt / dry mold

  • Gently use a Mars eraser to rub the area
  • Then use a brush to remove surface dirt