Hokusai Kabuki Theater Challenge

[John Wagenseil]

Somewhere out there is a Kabuki Theater Tatebanko by Hokusai.
I know it exists because I have found several pictures of the assembled tatebanko. However high resolution images of the un-assembled tatebanko remain a closely guarded secret.
There may also be a Hokusai tatebanko of what looks like either a horse race or stunt riding show.
The previously postedbath house tatebanko by Hokusai
(Shinpan kumiage toro yuya shinmise no zu)
is just one of the tatebankos he designed, but so far it is the only complete tatabanko by him that I have been able to find on the internet.
Anyway, there are more out there, somewhere.

[papermodelfan]

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has two, possibly. One is a diorama of Japan's founding drama: The sun-goddess Amaterasu being lured out of the cave by Shinto priests doing a song and dance (2 sheets #20433-20434) . The other is a model of a small temple gate, with two guys fighting in front of it (The Kaminarimon gate at Senso-Ji Temple in Asakusa #19640 - 1 sheet). The latter is listed as Artist unknown, but see what you think. The humor in it is pure Hokusai. Neither is available for free, but they are digitized. Go to Art of Asia | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and enter the accession number in the search box. A very helpful curator told me some years ago that these were the only two tatebanko in the extensive collection of Japanese prints at the museum.

[John Wagenseil]

Originally Posted by papermodelfan

The latter is listed as Artist unknown, but see what you think. The humor in it is pure Hokusai. Neither is available for free, but they are digitized. Go to Art of Asia | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and enter the accession number in the search box. A very helpful curator told me some years ago that these were the only two tatebanko in the extensive collection of Japanese prints at the museum.

Rob
The figures by the gate look like first cousins to the figures in other Hokusai prints, I think you are correct saying that it is another Hokusai. Now I have three Hokusai tatebanko in my files, but I still would like to find the theater.
Thanks for pointing me at BMFA.

Hokusai's Karimon Gate would make a nice companion to Canon's.

[Thomas Meek]

I was in Rhode Island last month visiting family, and went up to Boston to see the Hokusai exhibit at the Fine Arts Museum of Boston. One of the Curators had made excellent builds of the two tatebanko they have in their collection, and they were on display in the Hokusai exhibit.
The exhibit is beautiful, very informative, and well worth the extra charge (I think it is around $10) for the special exhibit. It will only be up until August 9th.

[Don Boose]

My guess is that the tatebanko represents the Nakamura-za theater in Tokyo.
https://dinadari.wordpress.com/2012/...8830%e6%97%a5/

This brings back memories of many kabuki performances that Lil and I watched from 1987-1990, mostly at the Kabuki-za in Tokyo, including Sukeroku Yukari no Edo-zakura (Sukeroku, Flower of Edo), during which an earthquake struck. Our fellow viewers sat nonchalantly as the balcony swayed and the actors, including the incomparable Ichikawa Danjūrō XII, continued their sword fight on stage. There was a huge barrel full of water on stage (Sukeroku would later hide in it), and the water splashed out onto the stage as the quake quaked and the actors fought.

Don

[John Wagenseil]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Boose
My guess is that the tatebanko represents the Nakamura-za theater in Tokyo.
https://dinadari.wordpress.com/2012/...8830%e6%97%a5/

Don


Don
A great piece of detective work.
Using the name you found, I was able to locate a picture of a model of the theater which looks like the tatebanko.
http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/ind...le=Nakamura-za

and a wood block print of the Nakamura :
http://www.kabuki21.com/lib1/k1301.jpg


The un-assembled tatebanko is still hidden, but I found another picture of the assembled model which shows the outside and seating and stage inside:
ŠÏ‘ª�ŠŽG‹L’*

[papermodelfan]

Great detective work, my friends, and what a remarkable and detailed model! I wonder if the Hokusai specialist at the Ota Memorial Museum knows anything about it? They have many of the block prints. http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/annai-E.html

[Don Boose]

John - I am glad you were able to confirm the identity of the kabuki gekijō in the model (especially since the website I provided doesn't work).

I look forward to more on this wonderful model and you other explorations into the confluence of Japanese culture and paper modeling.

Rob - Hope we will see you in Sterling in November, global pestilences not withstanding.

Don

[John Wagenseil]

I have been looking on and off for Hokusai's theatre tatebanko, without success. Occasionally I have stumbled across Lo-res pictures of the assembled tatebanko, but high resolution images of the uncut prints seem to be a closely guarded cultural treasure.

While not a paper model or even strictly speaking a tatebanko I did find this set of 6 prints from 1817 (!) by Utagawa Toyokuni I of the Nakamura-za Kabuki Theatre in Edo. The prints can be displayed as a double triptych (?septych?) of the inside and outside of the theatre.

There are monks, merchants, prostitutes, working people, trendy men wearing the latest innovation from the West: eye glasses, food vendors, drunks, dogs, Okame, sumo wrestlers out on the town, street artists, and upper class ladies checking out street fashions, harried husbands doing last minute food shopping, a samurai procession outside, babies in back backs and mendicants on pilgrimage. There may even be a few samurai (judging from their topknot) scattered about the audience even though samurai were discouraged from attending Kabuki since it was considered vulgar and possibly even subversive by the Shogun's government.


????????????????? - ?????????
http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1307611
No. 197, December 2014 | National Diet Library

Extra points for finding the cat in this print, also of a theatre
https://adventuresinprints.files.wor.../kabuki001.jpg