Celebratory Soga for the New Year: Azuma Tōzō V as the Maid Otsuru
Utagawa Kunisada
Description
Subject Matter:
Very little is known about actor Azuma Tōzō V, who was also known as Nakamura Shikaku. He was active in kabuki from 1810 until his death in 1843.
This play is one of the many variations of the story of the Soga brothers, one of the most popular revenge stories of the Edo period. The story is based on a late Kamakura period (1185-1333) book, Soga monogatari that tells the tale of two brothers, Jūrō and Gorō, who take revenge for their father on Kudō Suketsune in 1193. The brothers were executed, and it is thought that the story may have been written to pacify their spirits.
Physical Description:
In this print, a woman holds a branch with leaves. She wears a purple and white robe and a black sash over several other colorful layers. A colorful platform is visible on the right part of the print.
This is the left panel of a triptych (with 2011/2.191.2 and 2011/2.191.3).
Inscriptions: Nakai Otsuru; Toyokuni ga (Artist's signature); Yamaguchi Tōbei (Publisher's seal); Hama and Kinugasa (Censor's seals)
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