Comments - Dramatic kabuki scene of the samurai Mashiba Hisayoshi (the kabuki counterpart for the real-life Hashiba Hideyoshi) threatening a child, the struggling boy squirming on his lap as he raises a wooden stick in his hand. He looks down at the child with an anguished expression, bound by honor to make an awful sacrifice. The mother kneels at left, leaning forward in alarm, her hand stretched out towards her son. The elderly man at right is equally distraught, gesturing with both arms. Panels decorated with paulownia blossoms and leaves line the room, and a flowering branch rests in a basin made from a tree stump at lower right. From left, the actors are Onoe Baiko 4.5 (inset), Bando Hikosaburo V, Kataoka Gado II as Mashiba Hisayoshi, and Nakamura Gennosuke as Jiromatsu, and Bando Kamezo I. An intriguing scene with expressive figures.

Artist - Kunisada II (1823 - 1880)

Image Size - 13 5/8" x 28 3/8"

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Three separate panels. A few wormholes, repaired. Slight toning, a few creases. Please see photos for details.