Katsukawa Shunsho / The actor Nakamura Nakazo I as the renegade monk Dainichibo soliciting alms in the play Edo Meisho Midori Soga (Famous Places in Edo: A Green Soga) / Performed at the Morita Theater from the fifteenth day of the first month, 1779Katsukawa Shunsho
The actor Nakamura Nakazo I as the renegade monk Dainichibo soliciting alms in the play Edo Meisho Midori Soga (Famous Places in Edo: A Green Soga)
Performed at the Morita Theater from the fifteenth day of the first month, 1779

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Creator Name: Katsukawa, Shunsho
Creator Nationality: Asian; Far East Asian; Japanese
Creator Role: Artist
Creator Dates/Places: Japanese; 1726-1792 Asia,East Asia,Japan
Creator Active Place: Asia,East Asia,Japan
Creator Name-CRT: Katsukawa Shunsho
Title: The actor Nakamura Nakazo I as the renegade monk Dainichibo soliciting alms in the play Edo Meisho Midori Soga (Famous Places in Edo: A Green Soga)
Title Type: preferred
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 1779
Creation End Date: 1779
Creation Date: Performed at the Morita Theater from the fifteenth day of the first month, 1779
Creation Place: Asia,East Asia,Japan
Object Type: Prints
Classification Term: Woodblock
Materials and Techniques: Woodblock print.
Dimensions: Hosoban; 30.2 x 14.0 cm
Inscriptions: SIGNATURE: Shunsho ga
AMICA Contributor: The Art Institute of Chicago
Owner Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
ID Number: 1932.1003
Credit Line: The Clarence Buckingham Collection
Rights: http://www.artic.edu/aic/rights/main.rights.html
Context: Popular accounts tell of a monk called Hokaibo from Jobon-ji, a temple in Omi Province, who came to Edo in the 1760s seeking donations for temple repairs. He is said to have preached Buddhist salvation to none other than the grand courtesan Hanaogi of the Yoshiwara pleasure district, who gave him in return a beautiful bronze bell, which he pulled back to the temple along the Tokaido (Eastern Sea Road) on a cart.The character of Hokaibo was quickly introduced by the actor Nakamura Nakazo I into a Kabuki play on the theme of the Sumida River, Edo Meisho Miyako no Tori-oi (Famous Places in Edo: Hunting the CapitalBird), performed in 1765. In 1775 and 1779 Nakazo I again played the role in Sumida River plays, but by this time the monk had been transformed into a worldly, scheming villain, known by the name Dainichibo.Here Dainichibo stands before a large bronze temple bell on a cart, soliciting donations by striking a small gong with a hammer. Suspended by a cord round his neck is an alms box inscribed: 'Hashiba Sozen-ji kane konryu?/negainushi Dainichi Shoden-cho' (Dainichi of Shoden-cho soliciting to set up a bell at Sozen Temple in Hashiba). Shunsho has captured the penetrating characterization which Nakazo undoubtedly brought to the role, in the manner in which the head is bent forward, mouth downturned and eyebrows arched. The slight yellow pigment in the eyes adds a hint of menace.Kabuki Nempyo records that later in the play Dainichibo was murdered by the manservant Gunsuke (played by Ichikawa Danzo IV). As Gunsuke was about to leave the stage, the ghost of Dainichibo appeared and dragged him back by the topknot of his hair. Gunsuke drew his sword, cut himself free, and did three backward somersaults with the sword over his shoulder! Audiences loved it.
AMICA ID: AIC_.1932.1003
AMICA Library Year: 1998
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright The Art Institute of Chicago, 1998

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