![Arashi Koroku IV as Orie (おりへ) on the right and Bandō Mitsugorō III as Yazama Jūtarō (矢間重太郎) in the play <i>Taiheiki chūshin kōshaku</i> [太平記忠臣講釈]](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/4/28276_ca_object_representations_media_457_large.jpg)
Urakusai (or Yūrakusai) Nagahide (有楽斎長秀) (artist ca 1804 – 1848)
Arashi Koroku IV as Orie (おりへ) on the right and Bandō Mitsugorō III as Yazama Jūtarō (矢間重太郎) in the play Taiheiki chūshin kōshaku [太平記忠臣講釈]
05/09/1821
10 in x 14.875 in (Overall dimensions) color woodblock print
Signed: Urakusai ga (有楽齋画)
Publisher: Wataya Kihei (Marks 579 - seal 12-052)
Hankyu Culture Foundation - right panel
Hankyu Culture Foundation - left panel This play was originally written for the puppet theater in 1766. The authors were Chikamatsu Hanji (近松半二), Miyoshi Shōraku (三好松洛), Takeda Bunkichi (竹田文吉), Takeda Koide (竹田小出), Tsukuda Heishichi (筑田平七) and Takemoto Saburobei (竹本三郎兵衛).
****
The name and role of the actor Arashi Koroku (嵐小六) on the right-hand panel appears in white on the gray area of the sliding door in the background. The name and role of the actor on the left is shown in white on gray in the cloth hanging in the background behind the actor's head.
Yazama Jūtarō was one of the 47 Loyal Retainers and Orie was his wife.
****
In The One Hundred Poets Compared Henk Herwig and Joshua Mostow noted on page 218 that a play which included the characters of Jūtarō and Orie was composed by Chikamatsu Hanji (and others) and debuted in the puppet theater in 1766. Jūtarō was one of the retainers of Enya Hangan who was forced to commit suicide after being provoked at court. He had drawn his sword in the palace, a capital offence. All of Hangan's property was confiscated and his retainers were made masterless. They swore revenge. Jūtarō was forced to leave his loving wife for this cause and she, Orie, in turn, in loving devotion, became a prostitute to help sustain the lives of her in-laws.
****
Illustrated in black and white in 京都の近代版画 : 円山応挙から現代まで (Special Exhibition : Modern Prints in Kyoto : from Okyo Maruyama to the Present Day), 1986, #17.
Wataya Kihei (綿屋喜兵衛) (publisher)
Arashi Koroku IV (四代目嵐小六: from 11/1817 to 11/1826) (actor)
Bandō Mitsugorō III (三代目坂東三津五郎: 11/1799 to 12/1831) (actor)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Chūshingura - the play (忠臣蔵 - 47 rōnin) (kabuki)