Original Japanese woodblock print – Utagawa Kunisada Toyokuni 3 – Okaru – Kanahedon Chushingura – Edo 1862

Traditional original Ukiyo-e print, woodblock print. [This print is not a modern reproduction]

Print type: Yakusha-e Onnagata (portrait of a kabuki actor playing a female role)

🎨 Artist: Utagawa Kunisada 歌川国貞 signed: 七十七翁豊國画 — Kio Toyokuni ga
Signature used by Kunisada at 77 years old!

📅 Publication date: March 1862 (2nd month of the Year of the Dog — late Edo period)

📜 Publisher: 丸屋徳造 (Maruya Tokuzō) — black oval seal "丸徳"

🔪 Engraver (Horishi): 横川彫岩 (Yokokawa Hori-iwa)
👉 Engraver known for his regular collaborations with Kunisada during the same period.

📏 Format: Ôban Tate-e (vertical print — approx. 25 × 36 cm)

📌 Scene Title:

仮名手本忠臣蔵 七段目 (Kanadehon Chūshingura – Act 7)
Location: 祇園一力茶屋 (Kyōto, Gion, Ichiriki Teahouse)

👤 Character depicted: Okaru (おかる), courtesan
🎭 Actor: Sawamura Tanosuke III (沢村田之助), famous onnagata (specialist in female roles)

Origin: Japan, found in Hyōgo prefecture.

🏮 Subject:

The print illustrates the 7th act of Kanadehon Chūshingura, a flagship play of the kabuki repertoire, inspired by the legend of the 47 rōnin.

We are in Kyōto, in the Ichiriki teahouse, an emblematic place in Gion, where Okaru — a courtesan — chats, reads, and dreams, unaware of the dramas to come.
The role is played here by a man, one of the most famous onnagata of the time: Sawaruma Tanosuke III, whose feminine appearance is so convincing that it deceives the modern eye. Gentle gaze, delicate mouth, graceful pose — everything in this print seems to express femininity, although it is an actor.

✨ Notable details:

• Fan finely adorned with motifs of autumn maples (momiji) and river foam, with vibrant solid colors and a delicate asymmetrical composition.
• Kimono richly decorated with traditional motifs: flowers, stylized birds, waves, and good luck symbols.
• Embossing effects (karazuri) visible on the white collar of the garment, bringing relief and texture to the print.
• Very fine engraving of the hair, and beautiful color variation in the textile patterns.
• Calm and intimate composition, rare in kabuki portraits which are often more dramatic or exaggerated.

📦 Condition:

Original period print, in good overall conservation condition.

➕ Well-preserved colors, original pigments still vibrant
➕ Old Japanese paper (washi), unlined, supple and sound
➕ No visible repairs or restoration
➕ Karazuri well present, especially on the collar
➖ Brown stain visible on the white collar of the kimono
➖ Holes from old binding on the left side (see photos)
➖ Some soiling and slightly blunted corners and edges

🦝 Our opinion:

A print that exudes delicacy and refinement, far from the usual tension-filled kabuki scenes.

The onnagata actor's performance is so subtle that it challenges our perception — Okaru's feminine elegance takes precedence here, and only historical context reminds us that it is a man.
We are particularly touched by the finesse of the fan and the textures of the kimono, worthy of the most beautiful textiles of the era. The discreet but present karazuri on the collar adds a tactile relief that does not deceive: it is a master print, in all its technical mastery at the end of his life.

Plus: the scene takes place in our favorite Japanese city, Kyōto!

Kunisada, famous for his portraits of actors and beautiful women, is one of the great masters of ukiyo-e. Explore more similar works in our collection of original Japanese prints.