Tétraptyque original à gravure sur bois - Papier - Tatouage, Hommes tatoués - Gosotei Hirosada (act. 1826-1863) - Performance of the kabuki play "Natsu matsuri chūkō kagami" 夏祭忠孝鑑 - Japon - vers 1850-55

Original woodblock print tetraptych - Gosotei Hirosada (act. 1826-1863) - Performance of the kabuki play "Natsu matsuri chūkō kagami" 夏祭忠孝鑑 - Japan - ca 1850-55

A rare tetraptych (four prints), not attached.

Play: "Natsu matsuri chūkō kagami" 夏祭忠孝鑑

Actors in the roles of (Tsuribune) Sabu 三ぶ, (Issun) Tokubei 徳兵衛, (Danshichi) Kurōbei 九郎兵衛 (Danshichi Kurobei), and Danshichi's wife Okaji お梶

Sabu tries to interfere in the skirmish between Kurôbei and Tokubei.

For a synopsis and history of the play see Kabuki21.com: http://www.kabuki21.com/nmnk.php

Pulisher: Kinkadô

Visible woodgrain on at least two of the prints. Fine burnishing on the black parts, excellent colors and details! Two of the men have tattoos.
One small mending on the reverse side of the third print, A fold, left side of the forth print. Some minor defects but overall good condition. Possibly slightly trimmed margins.

This print is featured on the inside of the cover and on the frontispiece of the book The Osaka Woodcuts + on color plate 31 (pre ISBN numbers), Text by Lubor Hajek, Spring Books, London. Beautifully illustrated inside. The book is not included in auction.

See also "Hirosada, Ōsaka Printmaker", Houston University Art Museum, 1984, p. 105