KUNISADA – Ghost of Iwafuji · Kabuki premiere 1860 · Kawatake Mokuami · Toyokuni III triptych · Edo - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
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Utagawa Kunisada’s original Edo-period nishiki-e woodblock triptych depicts the 1860 kabuki premiere of *Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji* and measures 36 × 73 cm.
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Description from the seller
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞, 1786–1865), signing as Toyokuni III
Title: Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji (加賀見山再岩藤), “Iwafuji at a Later Date: The Revenge of the Ghost”
Subject: Actors in the premiere production of Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji at the Ichimura-za, Edo, 3rd month of 1860. Role names in the cartouches:
Right sheet: Hasebe Tatewaki (長谷部帯刀), played by Kawarazaki Gonjūrō I
Centre sheet: Mochizuki Danjō (望月弾正), played by Seki Sanjūrō III, and Onoe II (二代の尾上), played by Iwai Kumesaburō III
Left sheet: The Ghost of Iwafuji (岩藤の亡霊), played by Ichikawa Kodanji IV
Signature: Toyokuni ga (豊国画), in a toshidama cartouche on each sheet
Publisher: Kiya Sōjirō (木屋惣次郎), seal “Bakuro yon, Kiya han” (馬喰四 木屋板)
Carver: Hori Kane (彫兼)
Format: Ōban triptych, three sheets, each ca. [24.5 × 36.5 cm]
Technique: Nishiki-e (full-colour woodblock print)
Date: Ansei 7 / Man’en 1 (1860), date seal
Reference: Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, 100-7858, 100-7859 and 100-7860
______________________________________________________________________
Condition: Excellent impression and colours. The paper is firm and subtle, with a very thin sheet of original backing, also called Edo backing. Very good woodgrain visible throughout. Please refer to the images for full detail!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
About the print
Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji is a sequel to one of kabuki’s best-known revenge plays, Kagamiyama Kokyō no Nishiki-e. In the original story, the senior lady-in-waiting Iwafuji humiliates her rival Onoe, who then takes her own life. Onoe’s loyal maid Ohatsu avenges her by killing Iwafuji. The sequel was written by Kawatake Shinshichi II, later known as Mokuami, and premiered in the 3rd lunar month of 1860 at the Ichimuraza.
The play centres on the revenge of the ghost of Iwafuji, who holds a grudge against Lord Tairyō and against Ohatsu, who had killed her five years before. Ohatsu has meanwhile taken her mistress’s name as Onoe II. In its most famous scene, Iwafuji materializes out of fluorescent bones scattered over a desolate bank, and the act closes with her ghost floating in midair across the stage and over the hanamichi. The villain Mochizuki Danjō, possessed by the spirit of Iwafuji and plotting against his lord, eventually kills himself.
The premiere was a showcase for Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Mokuami’s leading collaborator. In this production, Kodanji established the tradition of playing both the ghost of Iwafuji and Matasuke, the faithful servant of a samurai. Kunisada, the most prolific theatre designer of his time, made several prints for this production. Other designs from the same premiere are held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
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: Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞, 1786–1865), signing as Toyokuni III
Title: Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji (加賀見山再岩藤), “Iwafuji at a Later Date: The Revenge of the Ghost”
Subject: Actors in the premiere production of Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji at the Ichimura-za, Edo, 3rd month of 1860. Role names in the cartouches:
Right sheet: Hasebe Tatewaki (長谷部帯刀), played by Kawarazaki Gonjūrō I
Centre sheet: Mochizuki Danjō (望月弾正), played by Seki Sanjūrō III, and Onoe II (二代の尾上), played by Iwai Kumesaburō III
Left sheet: The Ghost of Iwafuji (岩藤の亡霊), played by Ichikawa Kodanji IV
Signature: Toyokuni ga (豊国画), in a toshidama cartouche on each sheet
Publisher: Kiya Sōjirō (木屋惣次郎), seal “Bakuro yon, Kiya han” (馬喰四 木屋板)
Carver: Hori Kane (彫兼)
Format: Ōban triptych, three sheets, each ca. [24.5 × 36.5 cm]
Technique: Nishiki-e (full-colour woodblock print)
Date: Ansei 7 / Man’en 1 (1860), date seal
Reference: Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, 100-7858, 100-7859 and 100-7860
______________________________________________________________________
Condition: Excellent impression and colours. The paper is firm and subtle, with a very thin sheet of original backing, also called Edo backing. Very good woodgrain visible throughout. Please refer to the images for full detail!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
About the print
Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji is a sequel to one of kabuki’s best-known revenge plays, Kagamiyama Kokyō no Nishiki-e. In the original story, the senior lady-in-waiting Iwafuji humiliates her rival Onoe, who then takes her own life. Onoe’s loyal maid Ohatsu avenges her by killing Iwafuji. The sequel was written by Kawatake Shinshichi II, later known as Mokuami, and premiered in the 3rd lunar month of 1860 at the Ichimuraza.
The play centres on the revenge of the ghost of Iwafuji, who holds a grudge against Lord Tairyō and against Ohatsu, who had killed her five years before. Ohatsu has meanwhile taken her mistress’s name as Onoe II. In its most famous scene, Iwafuji materializes out of fluorescent bones scattered over a desolate bank, and the act closes with her ghost floating in midair across the stage and over the hanamichi. The villain Mochizuki Danjō, possessed by the spirit of Iwafuji and plotting against his lord, eventually kills himself.
The premiere was a showcase for Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Mokuami’s leading collaborator. In this production, Kodanji established the tradition of playing both the ghost of Iwafuji and Matasuke, the faithful servant of a samurai. Kunisada, the most prolific theatre designer of his time, made several prints for this production. Other designs from the same premiere are held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
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
Edo Period (1600-1868)
Country of Origin
Japan
Attribution
Original
Height
36 cm
Width
73 cm
Title of artwork
KUNISADA – Ghost of Iwafuji · Kabuki premiere 1860 · Kawatake Mokuami · Toyokuni III triptych · Edo
Condition
Excellent condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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