Sajima Tenkaku, From the Series "Mirror of Demonic People, Good and Evil"

Vertical ōban. Dimensions: 14 x 9 ½ in. (37.47 x 24.77 cm)

Artist’s signature: Kunichika hitsu 国周 筆

Artist’s seal: (red toshidama)

Publisher’s seal: Tsunoi 津ノ伊 (vertical, surmounted by a bar and triangle, in a rectangular enclosure)

Block cutter’s seal: Uemura Hori Yasu Tō 上邑 彫 安 刀

Censor’s seal: Dragon 4 aratame 辰 四 改

Gift of Sid Zarow

Toyohara Kunichika was born Oshima Yasohachi. As a child he adopted his mother’s family name, Arakawa, which would later appear on his prints in addition to his signature. After failing to develop in a dry-goods trade apprenticeship, Kunichika began studying under print designer Chikanobu around 1848. This led to his acceptance as an apprentice of Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III, 1786-1865). Training in the Utagawa school gave Kunichika a strong foundation of traditional style and technique. Because he was commissioned to do several portraits of his teacher, it is believed that he was held in high regard by Kunisada. By 1854 he had assumed the name Kunichika, taken from the names of his two teachers (“Kuni” from Kunisada, “Chika” from Chikanobu). The majority of Kunichika’s work consists of actor portraits and scenes from Kabuki plays. He saw himself as a traditional ukiyo-e print designer, and attempted to continue to work in the traditional manner despite the transformation of Japan during his life from the Tokugawa to the Meiji period. His work was affected by the times, noticeable in the use of strong Western red and purple aniline dyes that make up the background in many of his prints.

Sources: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/actor-nakamura-shikan-iv-as-sajima-tenkaku-from-the-series-mirror-of-demonic-people-good-and-evil-zenaku-kijin-kagami-486947, opens in a new window Waseda Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum: http://enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=007-2149, opens in a new window