Acteurs jouant les Ise ondo koi no netaba (伊勢音頭恋寝刃,)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川 国芳), Ichikawa Kuzô II as the cook (ryôrinin) Kisuke (料理人喜助), Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Fukuoka Mitsugi (福岡貢) and an unidentified actor as the waitress (nakai) Oshika, Onoe Baikô IV as the courtesan Aburaya Okon (油屋おこん) and Nakamura Tsuruzô I as Ahitamaya Kitaroku (あひ玉や喜太六) playing the Ise ondo koi no netaba (伊勢音頭恋寝刃, Ise dances and the dull blade of love), 1849, woodcut, oban size: 35 x 73.5 cm.

Kuniyoshi began his career in ukiyo-e as a student of Shunei. At the age of 14, he studied under Toyokuni I and became one of his best students. In 1814 he left Toyokuni's studio to pursue a career as an independent ukiyo-e artist. His beginnings were difficult, he also sold tatami mats to support himself. However, his career changed in 1827 with his drama series 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. From then on, the public was eager for his depictions of famous samurai and legendary heroes. In this composition, the engraver depicts Ichikawa Kuzô II as the cook (ryôrinin) Kisuke (料理人喜助), Sawamura Chôjûrô V as Fukuoka Mitsugi (福岡貢) and an unidentified actor as the waitress (nakai) Oshika, Onoe Baikô IV as the courtesan Aburaya Okon (油屋おこん) and Nakamura Tsuruzô I as Ahitamaya Kitaroku (あひ玉や喜太六) playing the Ise ondo koi no netaba (伊勢音頭恋寝刃, Ise dances and the dull blade of love).