Yoshikawa Kanpo

1894-1979

Kanpo’s Creative Prints, First Series: Actor Ichikawa Sadanji II as Hishikawa Gengobei
(Kanpo Sosaku-Hanga Shu Daiishu: Ichikawa Sadanji II no Hishikawa Gengobei)

with silver mica ground; dated Taisho juninen aki (Taisho 12 [1923], autumn), and signed, Kanpo, with publisher's seal Sato Sho Han (Sato Shotaro), limited edition label numbered on verso, Shusatsu nihyaku mai zeppan Sato Shotaro Kaiban, Kyoto shi Nawate dori benzaiten cho dai hachijuichi go (200 limited edition, produced by Sato Shotaro, followed by the publisher's Kyoto address, print number 81)

dai oban tate-e 16 5/8 by 10 7/8 in., 42.3 by 27.7 cm

An okubi-e portrait of the actor wearing muted colors; he wears a black haori over a dark green plaid kimono with navy blue collar. His simple make-up highlights his eyes and the lines of his firmly shut mouth. The richly applied dark grey mica background is reminiscent of the prints of Toshusai Sharaku (fl. ca. 1794-95).

The actor Ichikawa Sadanji II (1880-1940) is in the role of Hishikawa Gengobei in the play Imayo Satsuma no uta (The song of Satsuma in the modern style) from a performance at the Minami-za in Kyoto on October 31,1923. In the play, Gengobei is a country samurai who helps his cousin, Sangobei, hide his lover Oman, of whom Sangobei’s father does not approve. Gengobei falls in love with Oman, and manages to win the approval of Oman's parents to marry her. When Sangobei learns of the betrothal, he challenges Gengobei to a duel, in which Sangobei is killed and Oman is wounded. Rather than submit to Gengobei, Oman commits ritual suicide. Gengobei realizes he cannot force love, and also kills himself.

This design is the fourth from a series of six published by Sato Shotaro from 1922-1924, and the 1930 Toledo Museum of Art exhibition catalogue indicates that the blocks were carved by Maeda Kentaro (active ca. 1924-61) and printed by Oiwa Tokuzo in limited editions of 200. The impression in the collection at Toledo is accompanied by the original series fukuro (folder) with the print title Takashimaya no Gengobei. Takashimaya is the actors' guild of which Sadanji II was a member.

References:
Dorothy Blair, Modern Japanese Prints, Toledo Museum of Art, 1930, no. 330
Amy Reigle Newland, The New Wave: Twentieth Century Japanese Prints from the Robert O. Muller Collection, 1993, p. 172, pl. 214
Amy Reigle Stevens, Printed to Perfection: Twentieth Century Japanese Prints from the Robert O. Muller Collection, 2004, p. 93, pl. 78; pp. 120-121 (play summary) Carolyn M. Putney, Fresh Impressions: Early Modern Japanese Prints, Toledo Museum of Art, 2013, p. 322, cat. no. 338
Darrel C. Karl, Modern Japanese Performing Arts Prints (www.mjpap.com), Yoshikawa Kanpo, 1923 October (performance date)

(inv. no. 10-1598a)

price: $1,800