Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII as Soga no Gorō Tokimune

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) - Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII as Soga no Gorō Tokimune
In this series “Paraphrase of the 12 Months” (Mitate jūnikagetsu no uchi) for the 5th month, i.e. the month of the Boys’ Festival (satsuki), the actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII plays the character of Soga no Gorō Tokimune – one of the courageous brothers who avenged their father’s murder after waiting eighteen years – as a symbol of masculinity. The word “paraphrase” (mitate) in the series’ name suggests it is not necessarily linked with a specific performance, though Danjūrō VIII often played both the younger brother, the choleric Gorō, as well as the older brother, the sensible Jūrō. (See Helena Honcoopová, Kunisada, Praha 2005, p. 207)
date:
measurements: height 35,5 cm
width 24,5 cm
material: paper
technique: Colour woodblock print
inscription:
inventory number: Vm 4427
gallery collection: Collection of Asian and African Art