This refined circa 1818 original Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts the celebrated kabuki actor Iwai Kumesaburo II in the role of Oiso no Tora, bringing food to Soga no Juro, portrayed here by Onoe Kikugoro III. Executed as a luxurious surimono, the work was created for the poetic circle Hisakataya and belongs to a series of five prints inspired by the legendary tale of the Soga brothers. Elegant, intimate, and highly sophisticated, the composition exemplifies the artistic refinement of Edo-period surimono printing. Unlike commercial ukiyo-e prints produced for mass circulation, surimono were privately commissioned deluxe prints, often exchanged among literary and artistic circles. They were printed in limited numbers using particularly fine papers, delicate pigments, embossing techniques, and subtle decorative effects. The print illustrates a scene from the famous cycle of kabuki plays recounting the revenge of the brothers Soga no Juro and Soga no Goro against Kudo Suketsune, the killer of their father. This story became one of the most enduring heroic narratives of Japanese theater and visual culture during the Edo period. Kunisada enriches the scene with a sophisticated network of symbolic motifs associated with the Soga cycle and the actors themselves. The curtain draped above the composition bears the Iori-mokko emblem — a stylized magnolia within a rustic hut — traditionally linked to Kudo Suketsune. The same motif appears on the decorative Shimadai tray carried by Oiso no Tora, alluding to Suketsune’s hunting lodge at Susono, near Mount Fuji, where he was ultimately slain by the Soga brothers. The costume of Soga no Juro is adorned with the traditional chidori motif of flying plovers, closely associated with the character, while his sleeve features the Yamagata-mokko crest of the Soga clan. Oiso no Tora’s sumptuous robes are decorated with butterfly motifs linked both to the Soga narrative and to actor Iwai Kumesaburo II himself, demonstrating the layered interplay between theatrical identity, costume symbolism, and actor iconography in kabuki culture. This surimono also bears the seal of the printer Ryusai Chimata (Ino Naojiro), while the red inscription beneath the stylized koto-bridge emblem identifies the poetic circle Hisakataya. Such details reinforce the print’s highly cultured and collaborative nature, situated at the crossroads of poetry, theater, calligraphy, and graphic art. Born in 1786, Utagawa Kunisada — later known as Toyokuni III — became one of the most prolific and influential ukiyo-e masters of the nineteenth century. A leading figure of the Utagawa school, he is especially celebrated for his depictions of kabuki actors, beauties, and theatrical scenes. His elegant linear style, attention to costume detail, and sensitivity to gesture made him one of the dominant printmakers of the late Edo period. The vertical format and graceful asymmetry of this composition reflect the refinement of early nineteenth-century Japanese aesthetics. The restrained palette, flowing robes, and delicate facial expressions create an atmosphere of quiet theatrical intensity, balancing narrative drama with poetic elegance. Today, surimono prints by Kunisada are particularly sought after for their rarity, technical sophistication, and cultural richness. Works connected to the Soga brothers cycle and featuring major kabuki actors such as Iwai Kumesaburo II and Onoe Kikugoro III are especially prized by collectors of Japanese prints and Edo-period theater art. This circa 1818 original woodblock print stands as a remarkable example of Japanese surimono culture, uniting literature, kabuki theater, aristocratic poetry circles, and the refined craftsmanship of Edo-period printmaking into a single exquisitely balanced composition. Woodblock print Theater - Japan Surimono / For the Hisakataya poetry circle, whose emblem, a stylized koto bridge, surmounts the red inscription: Goban-tsusuki (from a series of five). The seal of the printer Ryusai Chimata (Ino Naojiro) also appears on the print. The series depicts characters from the cycle of plays recounting the revenge of the two Soga brothers, Soga no Juro and Soga no Goro, on their father's murderer, Kudo Suketsune. The Iori-mokko motif (a magnolia in a stylized hut) associated with Kudo Suketsune adorns the curtain that wraps around the top of the five prints in the series. It is also found on the curtain adorning the Shimadai (island-shaped tray) held by Oiso no Tora in this print. This motif alludes to Suketsune's hunting lodge at Susono, at the foot of Mount Fuji, where he was ultimately assassinated by the Soga brothers. Soga no Juro's costume features the flying plover (chidori) motif traditionally associated with him, while his sleeve is adorned with Soga's Yamagata-mokko pattern. His mistress Tora's costume is decorated with a Soga butterfly motif, which was also associated with the actor Kumesaburo Good condition
