Description
A precious triptych of woodblock prints made in April 1859 by the artist Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) on the occasion of the staging, at the Ichimura-za Theater (市村座) in Tokyo, of the kabuki play “The World of the Fine Kimono Lined with Butterflies” (世界袷蝶仝小紋).
At the center of the scene we see the geisha Chokichi (芸者長吉), played by actor Iwai Kumesaburo III (三代目岩井粂三郎). On the side panels the samurai Hiraoka Kozaemon (平岡幸左衛門) and Nuregami Chogoro (濡髪長五郎), played by actors Asao Yoroku II (二代目浅尾与六) and Kawarazaki Gonjuro (河原崎権十郎).
The prints, made by the publisher Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (辻岡屋文助), owner of Kinshodo (金松堂), despite the right signs of aging are in good general condition.
