Konishi Hirosada (ca 1810 - 1864) Chuko Junishi no Uchi (Loyalty
and Fidelty for the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac): Horse -
Bando Jutaro II as Hinuka no Hachizo, c.1848. Deluxe Chuban.
Click here for a full-size image.
This fine print by the Osaka artist, Konishi Hirosada (ca 1810 - 1864), is a mitate…
a kind of puzzle picture. The puzzle here though is more serious than
mere entertainment. In the 1840’s in Japan, but especially in Osaka, a
crumbling and centuries old government was attempting to stay afloat by
imposing strict anti-decadence laws… sometimes referred to as the Tenpo
Reforms. These prohibited the depiction of actors or theatre subjects, a
genre that had been hitherto wildly popular among kabuki fans.
Artists and publishers attempted work-arounds by producing recognisable
prints of unnamed actors, often in imaginary roles or else in roles not
taken in real life. These prints were then issued under the guise of
approved subjects… moral tales, views of famous landmarks or as in this
case, the signs of the zodiac.
Deciphering these prints at such a
distance is quite a task. Osaka prints are less well known, were
produced (albeit to extraordinary quality) in small numbers and short
print runs and the school tends to be under-represented in the
literature. The portrait in this print is that of the kabuki actor Bando Jutaro II as Hinuka no Hachizo from the play Koi nyôbô somewake tazuna. Hachizo is a minor character in a lengthy and convoluted plot that entails a fierce rivalry between two clans. He appears in one scene, as a failing man living in rural poverty. His principal method of earning a living is with his horse. In Act 5, at his home he distinguishes himself by rescuing a blind man from robbers and avenging himself on a member of a rival clan. In a famous scene, he sharpens his sword (the scene pictured here in the print)… telling his mother he is preparing to kill the man, Hachiheiji which he does in the next scene.
The Zodiac sign is, ‘Horse’, seen in the calligraphy in the top right, black cartouche. The cartouche to the upper left shows a rural scene, the land that Hachizo rides over in his daily work. The connection between the play and the star sign is obvious although there is little information to connect what is a minor character to the general scheme. The game, if you like… then as now, is to connect all the elements to form the entire, allusive picture.
All of the prints in this series were found in a very battered concertina album of the period. In order to rescue the prints, remove them from the decaying acidic backing card and repair the wormholes, the complete album has had to be disassembled. The prints have been conserved and are in outstanding condition, aside from some worm damage, principally to the plain margins. The complete deluxe set in this condition even with the marginal damage is very rare. Each print is exquisitely produced with deluxe embossing, double printing, mica and metallics… it is a masterpiece of the woodblock art. Aside from the worm damage the prints are all in very fine condition. The impressions and print quality are perfect, the condition is fine with no fading and and no discolouration. Since it was necessary to separate the prints from their backing etc we feel that the set may reasonably be sold individually or as a complete series.
This print has minor worm damage to the left hand margin, with minor worm holes in the upper right cartouche and lower margin. Otherwise, condition, colour and impression are all fine; with extensive embossing and sprinkled mica in the background.
An interesting feature of the set is the fact that they were published by Matsuki Heikichi, a publisher and printer of woodblock prints during the Meiji era, located in Yoshikawa-cho, a considerable distance from Osaka. He was the fourth generation in the family, known later for promoting the work of Kobayashi Kiyochika.
A copy of this series and this print can be found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
18 x 24.5 cm.
