Kunisada I - Nagoya Sanza - Kikugoro Onoe III

Kunisada I

Nagoya Sanza was a role which Kikugorō III played several times in his career, judging by the style of Kunisada’s signature, the print could either show a production staged in 1827 or in 1831. The scene is called 'Saya-ate' (鞘当), but it is often incorporated into longer plays with different titles.

Nagoya Sanza was played by Onoe Kikugorō III (三代目尾上菊五郎の名古屋山三), while his adversary Fuwa Banzaemon was played by Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (七代目市川團十郎の不破伴座衛門).

The costume that Sanza is wearing in this print is very unusual because it usually features a design of swallows in the rain. In this case, we see little white rabbits. The zodiac sign for 1831 was the rabbit.

Date: 1830’s

Condition: Good color and impression. Dirt stains and some minor repairs. Not backed.

Thanks to CR and PMG for this research