KUNICHIKA . Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei Hyakuban . 100 Roles of Ichikawa Danjūrō . 1897 . auth Japanese - Japan - Meiji period (1868-1912)
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Original Meiji period Japanese woodblock print by Toyohara Kunichika, depicting Danjūrō IX as Yamauba in the Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei Hyakuban series, published in 1897, Ōban Tate-e sized about 36 × 24 cm, in very good colour with margins and minor centrefold toning, country of origin Japan, authenticated as original and official.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: Toyohara Kunichika 豊原国周 (1835–1900)
Title: Yamauba (山姥)
Series: Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei Hyakuban 市川団十郎演芸百番
Date: Colophon dated February, Meiji 30 (1897)
Publisher: Fukuda Kumajirō 福田熊次郎, Nihonbashi-ku, Hasegawa-chō 19, Tokyo
Block carver: Nisei Horiei 二世彫栄 (Horiei II)
Signature / seals: Signed Kunichika hitsu 國周筆 in a cartouche, with the artist's red ring seal
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 36 × 24 cm, full sheet with margins
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Condition
Very good colour and impression with generous margins. The paper is firm and subtle with minor toning and soiling on the upper margin and faint centre fold. Very good overall! Please check the images!
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THE PRINT
Danjūrō IX appears here in a female role, as Yamauba, the mountain woman of Japanese legend. In folk tradition she lived deep in the mountains of Ashigara and raised the wild boy Kintarō. He grew up with enormous strength and later served the warrior Minamoto no Raikō as Sakata no Kintoki, one of his Four Guardians. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria holds an impression of this design and describes Yamauba as the adoptive mother of Kintarō.
The figure came to the stage first through the Noh play Yamamba. Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet play Komochi Yamauba (1712) then gave the story the form the kabuki stage kept. In that play the courtesan Yaegiri is transformed into the mountain woman and becomes the mother of Kintoki. Yamauba pieces became a standard part of the kabuki dance repertoire. Danjūrō IX was the leading actor of the Meiji stage and a highly regarded dancer, and onnagata parts like this one were part of his range alongside his famous warrior and history roles.
Kunichika's publisher commissioned this series in 1893 as a tribute to Danjūrō IX. Sheets were issued over several years, and the series was completed in 1903, the year of the actor's death and three years after Kunichika's own. The prints were made with expensive materials and printing techniques, and the series is widely regarded as the high point of Kunichika's late work. Other designs from it are held in the British Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Artist: Toyohara Kunichika 豊原国周 (1835–1900)
Title: Yamauba (山姥)
Series: Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei Hyakuban 市川団十郎演芸百番
Date: Colophon dated February, Meiji 30 (1897)
Publisher: Fukuda Kumajirō 福田熊次郎, Nihonbashi-ku, Hasegawa-chō 19, Tokyo
Block carver: Nisei Horiei 二世彫栄 (Horiei II)
Signature / seals: Signed Kunichika hitsu 國周筆 in a cartouche, with the artist's red ring seal
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 36 × 24 cm, full sheet with margins
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Very good colour and impression with generous margins. The paper is firm and subtle with minor toning and soiling on the upper margin and faint centre fold. Very good overall! Please check the images!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PRINT
Danjūrō IX appears here in a female role, as Yamauba, the mountain woman of Japanese legend. In folk tradition she lived deep in the mountains of Ashigara and raised the wild boy Kintarō. He grew up with enormous strength and later served the warrior Minamoto no Raikō as Sakata no Kintoki, one of his Four Guardians. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria holds an impression of this design and describes Yamauba as the adoptive mother of Kintarō.
The figure came to the stage first through the Noh play Yamamba. Chikamatsu Monzaemon's puppet play Komochi Yamauba (1712) then gave the story the form the kabuki stage kept. In that play the courtesan Yaegiri is transformed into the mountain woman and becomes the mother of Kintoki. Yamauba pieces became a standard part of the kabuki dance repertoire. Danjūrō IX was the leading actor of the Meiji stage and a highly regarded dancer, and onnagata parts like this one were part of his range alongside his famous warrior and history roles.
Kunichika's publisher commissioned this series in 1893 as a tribute to Danjūrō IX. Sheets were issued over several years, and the series was completed in 1903, the year of the actor's death and three years after Kunichika's own. The prints were made with expensive materials and printing techniques, and the series is widely regarded as the high point of Kunichika's late work. Other designs from it are held in the British Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Details
Dynastic Style/Period
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Japan
Attribution
Original
Height
36 cm
Width
24 cm
Title of artwork
KUNICHIKA . Ichikawa Danjūrō Engei Hyakuban . 100 Roles of Ichikawa Danjūrō . 1897 . auth Japanese
Condition
Good condition
Authenticity
Original/official
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