Twee Japanse Ukiyo-e houtsnedes, Utagawa Kunisada II (1823-1880) en Kunimasa Utagawa V (1874-1944), Meiji, 19de/20ste eeuw

Work: ca. 69,5 x 33,5 cm

Frame: 81 x 47,5 cm

Work: ca. 50 x 36,5 cm

Frame: 77,5 x 57,5 cm

The woodblock print on the right side: 'Shichidanme' by Utagawa Kunisada II (1823-1880), vertical oban diptych, with the Toshidama seal (年玉の印) in red ink under the signature, published in 1865 by Iseya Kanekichi. The print depicts a scene from Act VII of a jōruri performance of the play 'Chūshingura Sugata no Eawase' which played at the Ichimura-za on May 7, 1865. Ichimura Kakitsu IV seated on the far left and Bandō Mitsugorō VI to his right are providing a chanted narrative, accompanied by Ichikawa Shinsha on shamisen. In front of them we see Bandō Hikosaburō V as Teraoka Heiemon and his younger sister (Imōto) Okaru. 

The woodblock print on the left side depicting a scene of the Russo-Japanese War.

Ref.:

- A similar 'Shichidanme' print is part of The Lavenberg Collection of Japanese Prints. (link).

- Some Utagawa Kunimasa V prints part of the collection of the British Museum. (link)