Utagawa Kunisada/Toyokuni III (1786-1865) Portraits from Hit Plays of Both Historical Stories and Modern Life: Wakana-hime, 1859. Oban.
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A very beautiful and poetic portrait of the actor Iwai Kumesaburo as the valiant Princess Wakana. This print shows Princess Wakana despatching a male assassin, a scene from the kabuki play Shiranui Monogatari. The play tells the story of the young Princess Wakana whose family are wiped out in a feud with another clan. She is rescued by a kindly spider and given the gift of spider magic. The plot tells of her vendetta to take revenge upon the Kikuchi family who were the cause of her downfall.
Kunisada pictures a scene where Wakana has taken on the robes and discipline of a buddhist mendicant nun. This is a classic revenge story and fits the dramatic Japanese genre of the vengeful bride. (Charles Inouye makes a fascinating analogy between Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill and the vendetta of Wakana against the family who have wronged her).
This very beautiful print shows the princess by moonlight - alas no sign of her protector, the giant arachnid.
Colour and impression are all fine, full size. Some light surface wear but overall, the condition is excellent.
37 x 26 cm.
