Ichikawa Danjūrō VII Preparing New Year's Gifts

Utagawa Kunisada Japanese

Not on view

The Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (1791–1859) is shown at home in everyday dress, preparing New Year’s gifts for his admirers. The gifts are cotton hand towels (tenugui) that have been folded into miniature workmen’s coats, each decorated with the three concentric squares (mimasu) of his family crest and the words Ichikawa and Kiba (a reference to the actor’s home in Fukagawa). It is likely that this surimono was designed while Danjūrō was performing in Osaka in 1830.

Ichikawa Danjūrō VII Preparing New Year's Gifts, Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese, 1786–1864), Woodblock print (surimono); ink, color and metallic pigments on paper; shikishiban, Japan

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Ichikawa Danjūrō VII Preparing New Year's Gifts, Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese, 1786–1864), Woodblock print (surimono); ink, color and metallic pigments on paper; shikishiban, Japan
Ichikawa Danjūrō VII Preparing New Year's Gifts, Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese, 1786–1864), Woodblock print (surimono); ink, color and metallic pigments on paper; shikishiban, Japan
Ichikawa Danjūrō VII Preparing New Year's Gifts, Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese, 1786–1864), Woodblock print (surimono); ink, color and metallic pigments on paper; shikishiban, Japan

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