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Kunisada - We Brigade Fifth Group - Akabane

Kunisada - We Brigade Fifth Group - Akabane

Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)

Date: 1863
Medium: Woodblock Print. Oban (10" x 14")
Publisher: Katôya Iwazô (Seibei)
Genre: Ukiyo-e, Yakusha-e

We 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.

Edo no Hana Meisho Awase 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.

The 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.

The 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.

Condition: Very good color and impression. A few pinholes, and backing residue on back. Cropped as shown.

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/476469

$180.00 USD
$180.00 USD
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Who Was Utagawa Kunisada?

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865), also known later in life as Toyokuni III, was one of the most successful and prolific ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period. He was born in 1786 in Honjo, near Edo (modern Tokyo), into a comfortably well-off merchant family. His father, a ferry owner and amateur poet, encouraged Kunisada’s early interest in the arts, allowing him to study drawing and painting from a young age.

In 1800, at just fourteen years old, Kunisada became a pupil of Utagawa Toyokuni, the head of the influential Utagawa School. Under Toyokuni’s guidance, he quickly mastered figure drawing and composition, adopting the name Kunisada as part of the traditional artist lineage. His rise was rapid: by around 1813 he was already regarded as the leading ukiyo-e designer in Japan, enjoying immense commercial success and widespread public recognition.

During his lifetime, Kunisada was arguably more popular than contemporaries such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Kuniyoshi. His appeal lay in his ability to capture the fashions, personalities, and dramatic flair of Edo-period urban culture. He was especially celebrated for his actor prints (yakusha-e), bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), and illustrations of popular kabuki theater, all rendered with bold color, expressive linework, and an instinctive sense of storytelling.

Kunisada’s productivity was extraordinary. Over a career spanning more than sixty years, he designed over 20,000 works, including single-sheet prints, illustrated books, paintings, and collaborative series. Of course he had a stable of apprentices to assist him. This vast output, combined with his technical skill and deep connection to popular culture, made him a defining visual voice of nineteenth-century Japan.

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Collector Reviews

  • It's a great looking piece which I am very happy and excited to add to my small collection! I really appreciate it.

    I enjoy your YouTube videos and I look forward to picking up more prints from you in the future.

    Rick

  • Dear Mr. Richard, opening the package and seeing the incredible bright colours and ornamental abundance of Yoshitoshi's diptych, it was just as printed today! It will be a pleasure to get more of your fine selected prints.

    L. F.

  • Josh and I just opened the package and want to thank you for this amazing Hiroshige print. The condition is better than we expected. Lovely to look at, will bring the family great joy. Happy New Year and thank you again.

    J.
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Guaranteed Authentic

All our original woodblock prints are guaranteed authentic as described and shown. Unlike some print resellers, we don't make any Photoshop enhancements or add filters to our print images. Please check the print images front and back carefully before purchase, if you'd like additional pictures feel free to contact us. If, after purchase, you're not satisfied for any reason, return your print for a full refund within 30 days.