53 - Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865) Sawamura Tanosuke III as the courtesan Keisei Katsuragi, 1863 Polychrome woodblock print 36 x 25 cm (the largest sheet) 35.9 x 24.6 cm (the smaller sheet) Signature: lower right, the artist’s signature carved into the block Other inscriptions: upper right, the actor’s name and the role he plays; bottom right, seals of the woodcarver, the censor, and the publisher Condition. Mount: 60% (stains, tears, and losses; sheet secured at four points to the mount, fiber loss, woodworm damage) Condition. Surface: 70% For direct WhatsApp assistance before and during the live auction: +39 346 12 999 80 // Direct assistance via WhatsApp before and during the auction: +39 346 12 999 80 This print featuring a female subject is derived from the central panel of the woodblock print “Chiyo no haruto sae no sayaate,” depicting the courtesan Katsuragi of Shimabara in the center and the warriors Nagoya Sanzaburo and Fuwa Banzaemon on either side. The story of the duel (“sayaate”) between the two rivals vying for the woman’s love is a recurring theme in popular theater of the Edo period.