Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) (artist 11/15/1797 – 03/05/1861)
Seki Sanjūrō III (関三十郎) as Mikawaya no Giheiji no Obaa (三河町の義平次お婆ア) on the right and Bandō Shūka I (坂東しうか) as Danshichi Okaji (団七お梶) on the left
05/1852
9.75 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi ga
一勇斎国芳画
Artist's seal: kiri
Publisher: Yamaguchiya Tōbei
(Marks 591 - seal not listed)
Censors' seals: Hama and Magome
Date seal: 5/1852
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Victoria and Albert Museum
Waseda University - left panel
Waseda University - right panel
British Museum
Lyon Collection - another Kuniyoshi diptych version of this scene Since this print acts as a substitute for the story of Danshichi slaying his father-in-law with his wife and his mother-in-law it can only be understood as a mitate.
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This is a particularly curious diptych which shows the wife of Danshichi Kurobei about to slay Danshichi's mother-in-law. Acts of violence by women in Japanese prints are not unknown, but this one is different in that it replaces the figure of Danshichi, who often can be seen wearing a red and white plaid garment, about to kill his father-in-law Goheiji. This is simply a gender substitution. Sadly, we don't know what the play this scene is from, but the parallels are more than evident.
Of course, this situation raises a number of questions which as of now we are unable to answer. If Okaji is about to slay Goheiji's wife, does that mean that she about to kill her own mother? Or, had her mother died and been replaced by a step-mother? We will try to answer this question after further research.
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This specific impression comes from the B.W. Robinson collection.
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From the play Shinzō Tsurifune kidan performed at the Ichimura Theater in the 5th month of 1852. The title may read: 新造艣奇談 (しんぞうつりふねきだん), but we have yet to confirm this.
Seki Sanjūrō III (三代目関三十郎: 4/1840 to 12/1870) (actor)
Bandō Shūka I (初代坂東しうか: from 11/1839 to 11/1854) (actor)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Danshichi Kurobei (団七九郎兵衛) (role)
Yamaguchiya Tōbei (山口屋藤兵衛) (publisher)
mitate-e (見立て絵) (genre)