Posted by Theo de Kreijger on February 07, 2002 at 00:41:49:
In Reply to: Toyokuni I - date of a print depicting Ichikawa Danjurô V. posted by Guy Pepermans on January 24, 2002 at 22:54:25:
Hi Guy,
Dick Illing (related to Richard perhaps?) is probably right. Both Richard Lane and Jan van Doesburg say that these gyôji seals were used from 1811 to 1814. So 1812 might be correct.
The actors crest is a "kaemon" or "alternate crest". Richard Lane says it belonged to Ichikawa Danjûrô VI. But he must have past it on to Danjûrô VII, because his carreer stopped in 1799.
The little seal says "three" and it means that this is the first one out of at least three kabuki scenes. But it doesn't mean that this is the third sheet in a set of prints. The print is the first sheet (count right to left) of a triptych which belonged to a series of at least three scenes.
The kiwame seal doesn't say that much about the date. Some have indecated that angular characters (within the circle) indecate younger designs, but I haven't found to much proof for that.
You found the publisher yourselves, so there is not much I can add to this. And perhaps someone will track down the name of the role and the play.
Theo