Description
Unusual pair of Japanese handmade raised actor-poetry cards after designs from Utagawa Kunisada / Toyokuni III’s 1852 Mitate Sanjūrokkasen no uchi series. These narrow mounted pieces combine kabuki actor imagery with classical Japanese poetry references, creating a distinctive crossover between ukiyo-e theater culture and the literary tradition of the Thirty-Six Poets.
The two subjects correspond to designs associated with Kiyohara no Motosuke paired with the theatrical role Ryōshi Shibaroku, and Ōshikōchi no Mitsune paired with Toneri Sakuramaru. The 1852 source series is an important Edo-period ukiyo-e actor-and-poetry series, while these examples are offered as handmade raised mounted cards after the designs rather than full-size original ukiyo-e sheets.
Key points:
* Pair of Japanese actor-poetry cards/slips
* Handmade raised surface; not a flat modern print
* Mounted construction on board
* Designs after Kunisada / Toyokuni III’s 1852 Mitate Sanjūrokkasen no uchi
* Combines kabuki actor portraiture with classical waka poetry references
* Excellent display appeal for collectors of Japanese art, ukiyo-e, kabuki, poetry, and unusual handmade ephemera
Condition: antique/vintage condition with age toning, mounting wear, edge wear, some separation/lifting to the layered construction, and a small tear/nick at the left margin of one card. The main imagery and text display well. Please view all the photos for condition, surface texture, raised construction, and overall presentation.
