APRIL 1948

                   
Onoe Kikugorô VI (尾上菊五郎) as
Fuji Musume (藤娘)

Play:  Fuji Musume (藤娘)
Performance Place: Shinbashi Enbujô, Tokyo
Performance Date: 04/02/48
Print Date: 1949
Artist: Natori Shunsen (名取春仙)
Series: Kikugorô Buyo Sugata [Kikugorô’s Dance Appearances]
(菊五郎舞踊姿)
Personal Collection

Note:  Kikugorô VI first performed the role of Fuji Musueme in
Tokyo at the Kabuki-za in March 1937. and subsequently reprised
the role at the Kabuki-za in May 1939, January 1942, January 1943,
and October 1943,  and at the Tokyo Gekijô in February 1947. 
He gave his final performance in the role at the Kabuki-za in
Osaka in March 1949.  It is possible that this print depicts
Kikugorô VI in one of these other productions.
 
 
 
 
 

                 
Inoue Masao (井上止夫) as Morita Shinzō (森田愼藏)

Play: Taî no Musume (大尉の娘)
Performance Place: Tokyo Gekijô, Tokyo
Performance Date: 04/02/48
Print Date: 1950 or later
Artist: Ota Gakô (太田雅光)
Series: Meifu Miyage Geki no Omokage
(冥府苞苴劇容彩)  (#33)
Medium: ?
Image courtesy of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum

Note: It is unclear if this is a woodblock print, a watercolor
drawing, or a hand-colored keyblock print for an
unpublished design.  Inoue Masao died on February 7,
1950 at age 68.

Masao originated the role in a production at the
Hongo-za in September 1926.  There was also a
production in Tokyo at the Tokyo Gekijô in September
1932.  While I have not yet been able to confirm that
Masao was part of that production, the fact that he
performed the role at the Osaka Kabuki-za in
November of that same year makes a Tokyo
appearance very probable.  It is possible that Gakô
based this print on one of these prior performances.