Nakamura Tōzō III as Iwase Kibunta and Nakamura Utaemon III as Jiraiya on the left in the play <i>Yaemusubi Jiraiya Monogatari</i> [柵自来也談] - 'The story of Jiraiya at the weir'

Ryūsai Shigeharu (柳斎重春) (artist 1802 – 1852)

Nakamura Tōzō III as Iwase Kibunta and Nakamura Utaemon III as Jiraiya on the left in the play Yaemusubi Jiraiya Monogatari [柵自来也談] - 'The story of Jiraiya at the weir'

Print


08/1832
10.25 in x 14.75 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed on the left panel:
Ryūsai Shigeharu ga (柳斎重春画)
Round artist's seal in red
No publishers' seals
Carver's seal: saiku Yama Kasuke (細工山嘉助)
Honolulu Museum of Art - left panel
Honolulu Museum of Art - right panel
Tokyo Metropolitan Libarary - left panel
Tokyo Metropolitan Library - right panel
Pushkin Museum - left panel only
Hankyu Culture Foundation - right panel
Hankyu Culture Foundation - left panel
Lyon Collection - another copy of the left panel - with publishers seals for Honsei and Kawaji
Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire (via Ritsumeikan University) Osakaprints.com has said of this composition: "The tale of Jiraiya was based on a Chinese tale from the Ming dynasty. Various Japanese adaptations appeared in nineteenth-century serialized novels and kabuki, and a fascination with Jiraiya continues today in films, video games, and manga (comics: 漫画). Yaemusubi Jiraiya monogatari (The story of Jiraiya at the weir: 柵自来也談) premiered in 9/1807 at the Kado Theater, Osaka. It is one of several Jiraiya mono (Jiraiya plays: 自来也物) recounting the exploits of the righteous bandit Jiraiya (自来也) and his gang of outlaws who, like Robin Hood, robbed the wealthy and gave back to the poor. In one episode, Jiraiya rescues Tomokichi, a baby whose father, mother, and grandfather were murdered by the villain of the tale. Much later, Jiraiya aids Tomokichi in taking his revenge when the young man beheads his nemesis."

"Jiraiya (自来也 or 児雷也, lit., "Young Thunder") was also the hero of the four-act jidaimono (history play: 時代物) called Jiraiya gôketsu monogatari (The tale of gallant Jiraiya: 児雷也豪傑物語) premiered in 7/1852 at the Kawarazaki-za, Edo. It was derived from volumes 1-10 in a popular series of kusazôshi (lit., "grass books" or light illustrated literature: 草双紙) with images by Utagawa Kunisada I and six of his followers. Written by Mizugaki Egao (1789~1846), Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), Ryûkatei Tanekazu (1807-1858) and Ryûsuitei Tanekiyo (1821-1907), the saga was published from 1839 to 1868 (43 volumes). The plot involves complicated intrigues to take over all of Japan by Tsukikage Gunryô Miyukinosuke, the lord of Echigo province and a regent to the shogun, urged on by Orochimaru (大蛇丸), a swordsman and master of serpent magic. Tsukikage makes Orochimaru the sole heir to his Echigo domain. He next attempts to kill Jiraiya, heir to the Ogata family and Tsunate-hime (綱手姫), a Matsuura princess, after stealing from and murdering members of their families, but they are saved by a hermit named Senso Dôjin, who trains them in the secret arts of toad power (Jiraiya) and slug power (Tsunate). Ultimately, after many hardships and recovery of a precious sword called "Namikirimaru," Orochimaru is defeated and exorcised of his serpent power, whereupon the two families are reinstated by the shogun."

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Jiraiya can often be identified by his '100 Day' wig or hyakunichi (百日).

A type of wild, bushy wig (鬘) worn by villains meant to indicate a head of hair uncut for at least 100 days. It is also called a daibyaku. There is also a 50 day look in the gojūnichi.
"Long hair stands up bristle-like from the crown. The wig's name is highly conventional as no one's hair could grow this long in 100 days.... The main version, the hyakunichi no tare, includes a long pony tail bound near the bottom with a gold rope...." The "...softness of the top hair also suggests that the character is not well, perhaps due to an excess of fear and anger."
Quote from: New Kabuki Encyclopedia by Samuel L. Leiter, p. 179.

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There is another copy of the right-hand panel in the National Gallery, Prague.

Illustrated:

1) in color in Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in European Collection 5: Victoria and Albert Museum II, Kodansha, 1989, #175.

2) in color Ikeda Bunko, Kamigata yakusha-e shūsei (Collected Kamigata Actor Prints), vol. 2, Ikeda Bunko Library, Osaka 1998, no. 162.

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There is an unreadable poem written in a metallic ink on these prints which can be seen in the example at the Hankyu Culture Foundation. It is difficult to tell if this copy in the Lyon Collection also has the same poem which is all but impossible to make out.
Nakamura Tōzō III (三代目中村東蔵: 9/1818 to fall 1819 and 1836 to 1840) (actor)
Nakamura Utaemon III (三代目中村歌右衛門) (actor)
Kyōto-Osaka prints (kamigata-e - 上方絵) (genre)
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Jiraiya (自来也) (role)