Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)
Tiger Lily of Suzuka (Suzuka no oniyuri - すゞかの鬼百合): Ichikawa Kodanji IV (市川小団次) as Tennichibō Hōsaku (天日坊法策) from the series Popular Matches for Thirty-six Selected Flowers (Tōsei mitate sanjūroku kasen - 当盛見立三十六花撰)
04/1862
9.25 in x 13.75 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Kiō Toyokuni ga
(old man Toyokuni drew this picture - 喜翁豊国画)
Publisher: Hiranoya Shinzō (Marks 114 - seal 24-090)
Carver: Yokokawa Takejirō (横川彫武)
Date seal: 1862, 4th month
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (gray ground)
British Museum (red ground)
Tokyo Metropolitan Library (gray ground)
National Diet Library
Japan Arts Council
University of Michigan
Hankyu Culture Foundation The flower near the title cartouche is an oniyuri or tiger lily - literally demon lily and the picture below represents the priest , Tennichi-bo holding an oni-mask (demon-mask).
There are at least two different editions of this series. Despite the title there appear to be at least 39 prints in this set. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston say there are 36 plus a title page.
****
Tennichibō Hōsaku is a character in a play by the 19th century modernist kabuki writer Mokuami (1816-93). However, this role may have appeared in pre-Mokuami scripting. Possibly based on a real life person, Tennichibō Hōsaku claims to be the bastard child of the shogun Yoritomo, during the Kamakura era. The play is a tale of his adventures.
****
There is at least one other print in the Lyon Collection published by Hiranoya Shinzō. See #762.
****
The curatorial files at the University of Michigan say: "These prints are two from a series that compared thirty-six popular actors to flowers. Like in many series printed in the Edo period, the use of thirty-six comparisons references the thirty-six poet immortals. The poet immortals were a set of illustrious historical figures prized for their poetic ability."
Ichikawa Kodanji IV (四代目市川小団次: spring 1844 to 5/1866) (actor)
Hiranoya Shinzō (平野屋新蔵) (publisher)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
mitate-e (見立て絵) (genre)
Yokokawa Takejirō (横川彫武) (carver)