{"product_id":"mg1541-kunisada-we-brigade-fifth-group-akabane-japanese-woodblock-print","title":"Kunisada - We Brigade Fifth Group - Akabane","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUtagawa Kunisada\u003c\/strong\u003e (1786-1865)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate: \u003c\/strong\u003e1863\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedium: \u003c\/strong\u003eWoodblock Print. Oban (10\" x 14\")\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/strong\u003eKatôya Iwazô (Seibei)\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGenre: \u003c\/strong\u003eUkiyo-e, Yakusha-e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe Brigade, Fifth Group, Akabane: Actor Ichikawa Danzô VI as Taira Tomomori, doomed at the battle of Dan-no-ura, where he tied an anchor to himself and jumped into the sea rather than be captured by the enemy. Upper left we see a hagoita paddle with an actor’s face as well as the shuttlecock for this traditional new year’s game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEdo no Hana Meisho Awase\u003c\/strong\u003e is a collaborative harimaze (composite-sheet) series that combines kabuki actors, bijin imagery, and views of noted locations in Edo within a single design. The series brings together leading artists of the Utagawa school, including Kunisada, who typically supplied the actor portrait, alongside landscape specialists such as Utagawa Hiroshige II and figure designers like Utagawa Kunihisa. The result is a visually dynamic format in which theatrical subjects, contemporary beauties, and famous sites are conceptually and visually interwoven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title \"Flowers of Edo\" carries layered meaning. While suggestive of seasonal beauty, the phrase also alludes to fires - an ever-present reality in the densely built city. Each print incorporates the lantern and identifying standard (matoi) of one of Edo’s firefighting brigades (hikeshi). These brigades were organized by district: those west of the Sumida River were grouped and named according to kana syllables (excluding the inauspicious numbers four and seven), while eastern districts and outlying areas followed separate numbering systems. The title cartouche identifies the specific brigade and district represented, followed by the kabuki role or scene paired with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe series thus operates on multiple levels: it celebrates theatrical culture, references well-known urban sites, and acknowledges the civic structure of Edo through its firefighting organizations. The composite format and layered iconography reflect the sophisticated visual culture of late Edo, in which popular entertainment, local identity, and urban life were closely intertwined.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very g\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eood color and impression. A few pinholes, and backing residue on back. Cropped as shown.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehttps:\/\/collections.mfa.org\/objects\/476469\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mie Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43448053104718,"sku":"MG1541","price":162.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0095\/7602\/2094\/files\/mg1541-Kunisada-WeBrigadeFifthGroup-Akabane-japanese-woodblock-prints.jpg?v=1771191128","url":"https:\/\/miegallery.com\/en-de\/products\/mg1541-kunisada-we-brigade-fifth-group-akabane-japanese-woodblock-print","provider":"Mie Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}