UKIYO-E - Original Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) - Madara no Shirokurou - 1833 - RESERVED

This print comes from a private collection and has been professionally framed. I will leave the frame around it for now to prevent damage. However, the print is sent without a frame.

There is not much information available about this print. The only thing I could find is that this is an original print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). The ukiyo-e print indicates that it was made in the fourth year of the Tenpō period, 1833. Utagawa Kuniyoshi was 35 years old at the time.

The image appears to be an ukiyo-e print titled "The Play of Nakamura Shikan". It is thought to be a work depicting the appearance of a kabuki actor as "mitate" (a metaphor) during the period when paintings of actors were banned due to the Tenpō reforms.

The Tenpō Reforms were initiated by the ailing Japanese shogunate in an attempt to address major economic, social, and financial challenges. These measures, aimed at curbing luxury and moral decay, were ultimately unsuccessful and faced insurmountable obstacles. Despite their failure, the Tenpō Reforms had a profound impact on ukiyo-e artists and publishers, causing a significant decline in their businesses. The restrictions were strictly enforced until about 1850, after which they were quietly abolished.

Specifications:
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Publisher: Yotsuya Daikokuya Heikichi
Date: Tenpo era, September 1833

Title: Madara no Shirokurou
Series: The Play of Nakamura Shikan
Kabuki actor: Nakamura Shikan