![Nakamura Utaemon III in the roles of Ariwara no Narihira and Bunya no Yasuhide [文屋康秀]](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/5/42724_ca_object_representations_media_519_large.jpg)
Ryūsai Shigeharu (柳斎重春) (artist 1802 – 1852)
Nakamura Utaemon III in the roles of Ariwara no Narihira and Bunya no Yasuhide [文屋康秀]
1833
10 in x 14.75 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Ryūsai Shigeharu ga
柳斉重春画
Artist's seal in a red circle at the bottom of the signature
Carver: Hori Kasuke
Rijksmuseum - without the artist's seal
Lyon Collection - another Shigeharu print showing these poets The Rijksmuseum wrote in their curatorial files online: "Stage player Nakamura Shikan II in the role of Ariwara no Narihira with bow, thinking of himself in the role of Bunya no Yasuhide, the dancing man in the background. The play 'Rokkasen sugata no saishiki' was performed in the first month of 1834 in the Kado Theater."
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For a similar surimono-type print see Keyes Theatrical World of Osaka Prints, #44 page 128.
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Even though Bunya no Yasuhide (active 858-888) is one of the six poetic sages (rokkasen) only five poems by him appear in the Kokinshū.
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"Painters of the Shijō and related schools in Osaka and Kyoto were avid designers of surimono. Their engravers and printers evolved a number of conventions and technical mannerisms to reproduce the painterly style. The conventions that were developed for the Shijō surimono were used with great effect in oban portraits of actors like this..."
In the blue stylized-cloud formation at top is a poem written in gold. It was composed by Kangetsu.
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There are two prints by Shigeharu in the Lyon Collection which show Bunya no Yasuhide and Ariwara no Narihira. (See the link above.)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
Nakamura Utaemon III (三代目中村歌右衛門) (actor)
Ariwara Narihira (在原 業平: from 825 to 880) (author)