KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Danshichi Kurobei
Signed: Kunichika hitsu
Series: 100 Roles of Danjuro IX
Publisher: Fukuda Kumajiro
Very good impression and colors. Album backing. Metallic pigments, and gaufrage effects.

Danshichi is based on a real character from Osaka in 1697. He killed someone in the winter and buried the body in the snow. In the spring the dead body was found. This event was turned into a play in Osaka in 1698, but was rewritten in 1745 as Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagemi and remains very popular today

It contains a most incredible murder scene where Danshichi kills his son-in-law (for the play version). There is a spectacular set of 13 fixed mie performed for this scene.

The distinctive pattern on the costume consists of a group of symbols — Sickle (Kama), circle (Wa), and Hiragana letter (phonogram) Nu — forms a visual pun of the word Kamawanu, which means “I don’t care!” This pattern became popular and fashionable because it was worn by Danjuro VII on stage. The following generations of Danjuro and members of Ichikawa all wear this pattern, including the current Ebizo (1977-).

On hold