NEW YORK, NY.- Scholten Japanese Art announces their gallery presentation, DRAMA QUEENS & KABUKI KINGS: Stars of Edo and Osaka, an exhibition of approximately fifty 19th century woodblock prints and drawings.

The exhibition focuses on portraits of stars and superstars of the kabuki world, including several who expanded their preeminence on the stage by going on tour—traveling back and forth to the major metropolitan arenas of Edo, Osaka and Kyoto, and other regional theaters. These kabuki luminaries enjoyed the adoration of their loyal audience who formed fan clubs (hiiki-renchu, or renju) that frequently and strategically fanned the flames of professional rivalries between actors and their clans, with occasional overzealous fandom that resulted in fiery confrontations and even street fights.

Kabuki was the theater of the people, and images related to the bombastic performances comprise a major portion of ukiyo-e (images of the ‘floating world’) woodblock print production. The term kabuki is comprised of three characters, ka (sing), bu (dance), and ki (skill), but it was derived from the term kabuku, which means ‘to lean’ as in leaning away from the norm, or out of the ordinary, bizarre. It was used in reference to a genre of entertainment that originated in Kyoto around 1600, initially performed by women but due to a series of government restrictions, eventually evolved into male-only troupes. Kabuki spread from Kyoto to other locales, including Osaka and Edo (present day Tokyo), and became a huge hit with several theaters offering performances every month that were affordable to many. The actors became stars much like movie actors are today, and kabuki became the foremost subject of woodblock prints. Printed portraits of the actors in the roles they portrayed were produced in advance of a coming stagings to advertise the new season of offerings, or as visually imbued souvenirs for fans to savor the experience of a memorable performance.

As ukiyo-e is largely associated with the city of Edo (identified as it is with the era itself), for by the mid-18th century, ehon (woodblock printed illustrated books) and nishiki-e (‘brocade pictures’-color woodblock prints) were known as famous product of the city, it is often overlooked that color prints were also produced in Kyoto and Osaka, collectively known as Kamigata-e (pictures from the area of Kamigata). While the Edo printmakers developed full-color woodblock printing in the 1760s, in Kyoto and Osaka prints were primarily produced using the kappazuri (stencil printing) method. In the 1770s and 1780s color woodblock printed ehon (illustrated books) featuring popular kabuki actors were issued in Kamigata to great success. It wasn’t until the early 1790s that Kamigata moved away from stencil printing and began to produce color woodblock prints, and the subjects were almost exclusively portraits of kabuki actors. Osaka single-sheet nishiki-e were issued in the narrow hosoban format until 1812 when the first known oban-sized Osaka print was published. A print included in the exhibition by Shunkosai Hokushu (act. ca. 1802-1832) depicting the actor Bando Hikosaburo III (1754-1828) in the exciting role of Kan Shojo surrounded by red lightning bolts from 1813 is an early example of an oban-sized print from Osaka.

The exhibition includes several prints depicting a major rival of Hikosaburo III, the greatest star of Osaka, Nakamura Utaemon III (1778-1838), street brawls between their fans were not uncommon. Utaemon III was unquestionably the superstar of Osaka and appears in no less than 10 portraits in this exhibition. Utaemon traveled to Edo to perform three times: expanding his fame and befriending another kabuki superstar, Ichikawa Danjuro VII (1791-1859), and important relationship between the two leaders of their respective acting families. Despite this private alliance, whenever Utaemon went on tour, his passionate fans would follow, and fights would frequently break out between his supporters and fans of a rival actor. On his first visit to Edo in 1808 he was caught in the middle of one such melee and struck on the forehead by a fireman who was on the side of Bando Hikosaburo III. The following morning, the noticeably injured Utaemon with a purple bruise on his head distributed a hastily produced surimono (privately published print) with a poem he had composed: “The Edo iris is a hit in purple.” [1]

Coinciding with his second sojourn performing in Edo, Utaemon III makes an appearance along with 17 other prominent actors in an incredible album of 60 actor prints surely assembled by a kabuki fan which included in the exhibition. All of the portraits were designed by Edo-based artist Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825) and dated to circa 1809-1812, capturing a focused view of the kabuki milieu of the time.

The different centers of production of kabuki prints offer an interesting contrast in process and objectives. In Edo, prints of all genres such as images of beauties, landscapes and kabuki actors, were designed by professional artist with allegiance to specific masters with formalized lineage. The Edo-based Katsukawa artists (who held the official license from the kabuki theaters) pioneered the nigao-e (‘likeness pictures’) that stylized images of the actors, and the Utagawa school artists (founded by Utagawa Toyoharu, ca. 1738-1814) likewise idealized their actor portraits. In Osaka, patrons of actors financially supported print production, and the designers (until ca. 1830) were primarily kabuki fans who were talented amateur artists unaffiliated with any particular atelier and produced more realistic portraits that bordered on caricatures. The Osaka artists were not only members of the fan clubs but also members of the same social circles as the actors and played a significant role in the activities of the theaters. They would organize gatherings related to performances and poetry readings, author critiques on the actors and the plays, and influence the professional rankings of the actors. A group portrait of six prominent actors humorously likened to the classical grouping of the Rokkasen (Six Immortal Poets) by Toyokawa Yoshikuni (active 1813-1832) presents an imaginary assembly of leading actors. Utaemon III is illustrated along with his adoptive son, Nakamura Shikan II (1796-1852), Arashi Rikan II (1788-1837), Ichikawa Ebijuro I (1777-1827), Nakamura Matsue III (1786-1855), and Ichikawa Danzo V (1788-1845). It was very common for prints to include poems by the actors: a portrait of Utaemon III in the female role as an Old Lady of the Sano Clan from 1822 with surimono-style deluxe printing is an example.

The Edo-based actor Nakamura Kakazo III (1809-1886) recorded in his diary in 1830 his experience at a Kyoto kaomise (‘face showing’) season-opening production at which the theaters put on a display of forthcoming actors in their roles. Kakozo recorded that the event itself would not even begin until each of the members of the prominent fan clubs arrived, making their entrance wearing outlandish costumes striding down the hanamachi themselves. Evidentially, while the passion of the kabuki fans in Edo was legendary; in Kamigata, it was an artform unto itself.

In addition to instigating and fostering rivalries between actors, the fan clubs could also mediate reconciliations. In the summer of 1821, a détente was brokered between two notorious rivals, Arashi Kichisaburo I (Rikan, 1769-1821) and Utaemon III (Shikan) during a banquet on a restaurant boat. The anticipation of what would surely be a spectacular and possibly singular event inspired songs with lyrics including "the crane and the orange" in reference to the two actors' crests. Tragically, before anything could be staged, Rikan suddenly fell ill and died in the 9th lunar month, devastating his ardent fans.[2] A memorial portrait by Shunkosai Hokushu (active ca. 1810-1832) illustrating Rikan in the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi is accompanied by text written by Shikan which eulogizes the elder actor and concludes with a poem referring to Rikan as a master portraying that role. Is this gesture by Shikan an extraordinary display of grace, or the ultimate final say from the one who out-lived the other? Or both?

The publishing industry itself was extremely different as well. In Edo, there were hundreds of publishers and numerous professional artists vying for the kabuki market, while in Osaka, from 1790 one publisher, Shioya Chobei (sealed Encho or Shiocho) had a monopoly with the theaters until 1816 when four others publishers were allowed licenses and managed to shut out all other competition: Tenmaya Kihei (sealed Tenki), Wataya Kihei (sealed Wataki) Honya Seibei (sealed Honsei), and Tokuraya Shinbei (sealed Toshin) [3], and a small group of amateur artists untethered and unhindered by the professional artists studios such as those found in Edo. This lack of formality in Osaka contributes to the dearth of knowledge about the artists themselves— in many cases their life and death dates are unknown, nor are we certain of their background and training, if any. In addition, the Osaka prints themselves tended to be of higher quality printing, often at a level associated with deluxe surimono and likewise, issued in significantly fewer quantities. As such, serious kabuki print afficionados have long appreciated the superior quality and rarity of Osaka prints.

The exhibition includes works by Edo artists Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), Utagawa Tokyokuni I (1769-1825) and his leading student, Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865), and Kamigata (Osaka and Kyoto) artists, Urakusai Nagahide (active ca. 1805-1848), Shunkosai Hokushu (active ca. 1802-1832), Shunbaisai Hokuei (active ca. 1827-1836), Shunshosai Hokuju (active ca. 1832-35), Gigado Ashiyuki (fl. 1814-1835), Utagawa Nobukatsu (Tessai, act. 1824-1841), Ryusai Shigeharu (1803-1853), Gochotei Sadamasa I (Kunimasu, active. 1834-1852), Kunishige (active ca. 1847-55), Ittosai Masunobu (active ca. 1849-1853) and Gosotei Hirosada (Sadahiro I, ca. 1826-1865).

For the duration of the New York Asia Week, September 11 – 19, the gallery will have general open hours (appointments appreciated), 11 am to 5 pm; and thereafter by appointment through October 31st.

Scholten Japanese Art, located at 145 West 58th Street, Suite 6D, is open Monday through Friday, and some Saturdays, 11am - 5pm, by appointment. To schedule an appointment please call (212) 585-0474.


[1] Roger S. Keyes and Keiko Mizushima, The Theatrical World of Osaka Prints, p. 34

[2] ibid p. 66

[3] ibid, p. 17