Utagawa Kuniyoshi 1798-1861 Three-figure popular dance ("A popular three man play") 1847 color woodcut

Utagawa Kuniyoshi 1798-1861 Three-figure popular dance ("A popular three man play") 1847 color woodcut engraving from the series depicting the game of Ken, often represented as a dance in Kabuki theater performances. After the imposition in 1842 not to spread prints and drawings of actors, Kuniyoshi produced numerous humorous drawings with portraits of actors disguised as animals or other bizarre, fantastic and macabre objects. The animals resemble actors Ichikawa Kuzô II (tiger), Nakamura Utaemon IV (toad) and Matsumoto Kôshirô VI (fox) Further information on these prints can be found in the article: Linhart, Sepp, Kuniyoshi's Ken Caricatures between 1847 and 1853, Andon, vol. 83, 2008, pp. 5-29 36x24.5 cm (ôban size) - in frame 55x43.5 cm