![Nakamura Utaemon III as Jiraiya in the play <i>Yaemusubi Jiraiya Monogatari</i> [柵自来也談] (<i>The story of Jiraiya at the weir</i>) - left-hand panel of a diptych](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/9/2310_ca_object_representations_media_972_large.jpg)
Ryūsai Shigeharu (柳斎重春) (artist 1802 – 1852)
Nakamura Utaemon III as Jiraiya in the play Yaemusubi Jiraiya Monogatari [柵自来也談] (The story of Jiraiya at the weir) - left-hand panel of a diptych
08/1832
10 in x 14.5 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Ryūsai Shigeharu ga
柳斎重春画
Artist's seal in red below the signature
Publishers: Honsei and Kawaji
Carver's seal: saiku Yama Kasuke (細工山嘉助)
Honolulu Museum of Art
Pushkin Museum of Art
Hankyu Culture Foundation
Lyon Collection - the full diptych - with no publisher's seal Click on the print to enlarge it. In the dark clouds above Jiraiya's head and slightly to the left is a poem by Nakamura Utaemon III, signed with one of his poetry names, Baigyoku (梅玉).
Osaka Prints says of this poem: "The poem, printed in copper-rich brass to simulate gold, was composed by the actor Utaemon signing as Baigyoku (梅玉): Dai kataha aomi kachi nari-hatsu mo michi (大かたは青みかちなり初もみち), meaning "Early fall foliage is mostly green; red is a long way off." "
****
Jiraiya can often be identified by his '100 Day' wig or hyakunichi (百日).
A type of wild, bushy wig (鬘) worn by villains meant to indicate a head of hair uncut for at least 100 days. It is also called a daibyaku. There is also a 50 day look in the gojūnichi.
"Long hair stands up bristle-like from the crown. The wig's name is highly conventional as no one's hair could grow this long in 100 days.... The main version, the hyakunichi no tare, includes a long pony tail bound near the bottom with a gold rope...." The "...softness of the top hair also suggests that the character is not well, perhaps due to an excess of fear and anger."Quote from: New Kabuki Encyclopedia by Samuel L. Leiter, p. 179.
****
Probably from the series of oban sized surimono, engraved by Kasuke and issued in 1832-3. For another example see Keyes, Osaka Prints pg. 128/9.
****
Illustrated:
1) in color in Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in European Collection 5: Victoria and Albert Museum II, Kodansha, 1989, #175.
2) in color Ikeda Bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shūsei (Collected Kamigata Actor Prints), vol. 2, Ikeda Bunko Library, Osaka 1998, no. 162.
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Nakamura Utaemon III (三代目中村歌右衛門) (actor)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
Jiraiya (自来也) (role)