Wood block prints with watercolors over 20' long. Known in Japan as Ukiyoe> This scroll depicts Kobuki theater actors and scenes. The scroll has extremely vibrant colors and acts as a visual narrative of scenes from the play. Each print is slightly overlapping and glued to the adjacent to create this long scroll which at the end has a reinforcing backing of hemp-like material and retains the original braided tie. The Kobuki characters depicted in the 24 panel wood blocks were very popular among the illiterate peasants during the mid -19th century. The hand made and pounded paper known as "washi" paper is glued to a fibrous backing using wheat starch glue at the beginning of the scroll to protect the first scroll frame and the entire scroll sequence by ensuring that the paper dries evenly and also allows for the scroll to be rolled up without creasing anywhere along the sequence. The fibrous material wheat glued to the scroll sequence has a small piece of wood sewn into it as well as a chord to tie the scroll up and protect it. A full uncut scroll in near mint condition.

Weight (lbs): 0.84
Height (In.): 3
Width (In.): 14.5
Depth (In.):
Size: 251.25" x 14.5"
Maker: Utagawa Kunishige, Sameza
Material: Wood block prints with watercolor
Date: C.1850-1860
Provenance:
Condition: The scroll aka "Ukiyoe" is in excellent condition. A small, minor loss to one frame in the scroll sequence, a few very small holes are visible as well as a minor loss on the reinforced backing material.
History: These wood block prints are known as "Ukiyoe" and they depict Kabuki actors and scenes from 19th century Japanese theater. They date to the early 1850s to 1860s. Woodblock prints were initially used as early as the eighth century in Japan to disseminate texts such as Buddhist scriptures. Until the eighteenth century, however, woodblock printing remained primarily a convenient method of reproducing written texts. In 1765, new technology made it possible to produce single-sheet prints in a whole range of bright colors. Printmakers who had only worked in monochrome and painted the colors in by hand, or had printed only a few colors, gradually came to use full polychrome painting to spectacular effect. Wealthy theater patrons in Edo, purchased the beautifully designed woodblock prints depicting their favorite Kobuki (Japanese theater) actors and the plays they starred in. Utagawa Kunishige, Utagawa Kunisada and Shungyosai Hokusei (1826-1827) are three artists who focused on theatrical scrolls starting in the early 19th century. Their students continued designing theatrical scrolls up to the end of the Edo period (1869). Many of the scrolls were done upon commission for theaters or wealthy Shoguns. Theatrical Scrolls depicted favorite Kabuki actors and/or plays. Celebrated kabuki actor Nakamura Shikan II as a character in the play "Keisei Asoyama Sakura" was a favorite character in theatrical scrolls by all three artists.
Condition: The scroll aka "Ukiyoe" is in excellent condition. A small, minor loss to one frame in the scroll sequence, a few very small holes are visible as well as a minor loss on the reinforced backing material. History: These wood block prints are known as "Ukiyoe" and they depict Kabuki actors and scenes from 19th century Japanese theater. They date to the early 1850s to 1860s. Woodblock prints were initially used as early as the eighth century in Japan to disseminate texts such as Buddhist scriptures. Until the eighteenth century, however, woodblock printing remained primarily a convenient method of reproducing written texts. In 1765, new technology made it possible to produce single-sheet prints in a whole range of bright colors. Printmakers who had only worked in monochrome and painted the colors in by hand, or had printed only a few colors, gradually came to use full polychrome painting to spectacular effect. Wealthy theater patrons in Edo, purchased the beautifully designed woodblock prints depicting their favorite Kobuki (Japanese theater) actors and the plays they starred in. Utagawa Kunishige, Utagawa Kunisada and Shungyosai Hokusei (1826-1827) are three artists who focused on theatrical scrolls starting in the early 19th century. Their students continued designing theatrical scrolls up to the end of the Edo period (1869). Many of the scrolls were done upon commission for theaters or wealthy Shoguns. Theatrical Scrolls depicted favorite Kabuki actors and/or plays. Celebrated kabuki actor Nakamura Shikan II as a character in the play "Keisei Asoyama Sakura" was a favorite character in theatrical scrolls by all three artists.