Utagawa Yoshitora (active 1850-1880) Okubi-e Portrait of the Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Takechi Mitsuhide, c. 1862. Oban.
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This series of prints, credited to the work of Kunisada, is by his colleague Yoshitora. It is from the most outstanding series of prints made during the golden age of Japanese woodblock prints - the nineteenth century. In boldness, design, originality and execution, the prints tower over pretty much anything else.
John Fiorillo comments that:
The set was originally scheduled to include 150 works by the leading designer of actor prints, Utagawa Kunisada unfortunately, it was never completed. Only 72 published designs are known, with 12 by Yoshitora, plus two proof prints and two preparatory drawings, for a total of 76 known compositions. Yoshitora joined the project in 1862 for unconfirmed reasons (possibly to assist an overworked or ailing Kunisada). The series was intended to be the crowning achievement in Kunisada's career, with no effort or expense spared in its size or production… In terms of their quality (beautifully executed block cutting, exceptional colours, embossing, and burnishing), the prints from this series are reminiscent of the deluxe limited editions produced in the smaller chuban format in Osaka during the mid-nineteenth century (most familiar among them are the prints of Hirosada).
The work continued throughout the 1860’s, due to illness, the death of Kunisada in 1865 and civil war and revolution in 1868. This expressive print is from 1862 and is a portrait of the actor, Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Takechi Mitsuhide. The design is unusual in ukiyo-e; the full-face, straight-on portrait was unpreferred… although there are examples in Kunisada’s work of near identical portraits such as Nakamura Utaemon III as Toneri Umeomaru from 1852. There are only two or three portraits in the series that are not three-quarter head and shoulders. This pose requires quite a different handling of the features and has enabled Yoshitora, no doubt supervised by Kunisada, to be more abstract with the predominant features. Hence the eyebrows and lips have a curious overlay quality and the whole design of the face in fact, is highly dramatic and schematic. For this reason, the print is quite outstanding in an altogether extraordinary set of prints. Not only do the principal features seem to lay over the face, but the head itself is unconnected to the otherwise flat, decorative scheme of the shoulders. The design shouldn’t work and yet miraculously it does.
Here is the familiar visual dilemma that ukiyo-e demands of the viewer… is this a portrait of an actor or a portrait of a sixteenth century warlord? Paradoxically, it is both and neither at the same time. I personally cannot see the ‘contemporary’ realism of Kodanji IV nor the savage brutality of Mitsuhide… this is the paradox of Edo ukiyo-e. There is no reason to ascribe performances to these prints. Kunisada was combining actors and roles but not necessarily from specific plays.
Mitsuhide was a sixteenth century warlord caught up in the brutal civil wars of Japan that would swiftly lead to the unification of Japan. He assassinated his overlord Nobunaga in 1582 in a bid for power but whilst he briefly attained power for himself - he was shogun for only thirteen days - Nobunaga was quickly avenged by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the battle of Yamazaki and he died an ignominious death at the hands of a peasant.
This rare print - there are no others listed in museums - is full size, with complete margins. Margins have a few minor losses but otherwise good. The impression is very fine, colour excellent with little fading. There is very intense double printing to the background etc. The paper is thinner than the hoshu paper used in the earlier part of the series and there is some thinning to the right-hand side, possibly due to previous album backing. Overall, condition is very good, but fragile. There is one small stain to the lower right cheek. A superb and very rare print.
Published by Ebisuya Shoshichi.
37.5 x 26 cm.
