Comments - Great portrait of Ichikawa Ebizo V as Saimyoji Tokiyori ko in the kabuki play "Koharu no En Mitsugumi Sakazuki." Disguised as a Buddhist monk during a reconnaissance mission, the retired regent Hojo Tokiyori sought shelter at the shabby country home of Sano Genzaemon Tsuneyo during a snowstorm. Without revealing his true identity, Tsuneyo and his wife treated him with as much honor as they could, Tsuneyo even going so far as to chop up his three prized bonsai trees to provide firewood to cook a meal for their surprise guest. Here, Tokiyori look to the side with a concerned frown after learning that Tsuneyo was cheated out of his lands. He wears a monk's mantle over a gray robe and a white under robe, and a brocade cloth headdress. The pine branches surrounding the name cartouche at upper right represent Tsuneyo's bonsai pine tree that he sacrificed. Nicely detailed with faint embossing on the white under robe and soft shading on the night sky.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 5/8" + top margin as shown

Condition - This print with good detail as shown. A couple small repairs, slight curling. Please see photos for details.