Utagawa Kunisada/Toyokuni III (1786-1865) Actor Iwai Kumesaburô III as Izayoi Osayo, 1859. Oban.
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What an outstanding design this is… really one of the finest depictions of looming threat that I can think of. The great dark shape of the male character is nearly impossible to read from the angle of the viewer and only slowly comes into recognisable shape. The print reminds us of one of the great kabuki themes of all time and one of the most famous of Japanese villains - the corrupt priest Seishin from the kabuki drama Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui. Seishin is a young priest who seduces the geisha Izayoi. He is banished as punishment and the two lovers agree to commit suicide. Unknown to each other they both survive; Seishin goes on to become a bandit, murdering a young boy for a bag of gold. Izayoi has become a nun but they meet up later in the play and become partners in crime. It turns out that the young boy was Izayoi’s brother and the play concludes with them committing a double suicide in remorse.
I think the scene here is from a little known scene from the play in which Osayo decides to shaves her head and become a nun in order to pray for Seishin's soul, whom she believes dead. She decides to go on pilgrimage to Hakone, but she is abducted in the valley of Hell ("Jigoku no Tani") by a bunch of highwaymen. She is rescued by another bandit named Seikichi and nicknamed Oniazami ('the Demon thistle'), who is none other than Seishin. Seikichi persuades Osayo to abandon her religious life and this scene is the signal for them to turn to crime.The assassin in the foreground is therefore one of the bandits from the usually omitted act.
A fantastic print in every way. Unbacked, colour, condition and impression are fine.
Publisher: Enshūya Hikobei.
36cm x 26cm.
