Iwai Hanshirō V seated by a brazier

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, artist

1797–1861

Iwai Hanshirō V seated by a brazier, circa 1825–1835, Edo period (1600–1868)

Where object was made: Japan

Material/technique: color woodcut

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 211 x 185 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 83 1/16 x 72 13/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 19 x 14 in

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 0000.1567

Not on display

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Label texts

Archive Label date unknown:
This print is from an untitled series of pictures of women in scenes from everyday life, accompanied by metrical prose ballands. The actor Iwai Hanshirō specialized in female roles. Here he is a geisha filling her pipe, her loose robe open below the sash exposing her red undergarment and bare leg. The circular vignette illustrates a fish seller's basket described in the ballad.

The ballad, which creates a setting for the picture, reads "I opened the window by the leafy cherry tree and waited for the cuckoo to sing once more. But I heard instead 'bonito, bonito!' 'Hey,' I thought, 'how great!' and I flew out of the door. I'm pretty fickle, aren't I?