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Imaginary Casting for Five Bold Women (Mitate gonin onna): from right, Actors Sawamura Sôjûrô V as Karigane no Ofumi, Iwai Kumesaburô II as An no Oyasu, Onoe Kikugorô III as Kaminari no Oshô, and Iwai Shijaku I as Gokuin no Osen


「見立 五人女 雁金の お文」五代目沢村宗十郎  「見立 五人女 安の おやす」二代目岩井粂三郎  「見立 五人女 雷乃 おせう」三代目尾上菊五郎  「見立 五人女 極印の おせん」初代岩井紫若
Utagawa Sadatora (Japanese, active about 1818–1844)
Publisher: Moritaya Hanzô (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban tetraptych; 37.7 x 98.1 cm (14 13/16 x 38 5/8 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.16183-6
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Waseda db 012-0117 (Ofumi), 012-0118 (Oyasu), 012-0115 (Oshô), 012-0116 (Osen); also 012-0119 (Oichi, not in MFA) (no date)
DescriptionTetraptych (four sheets of incomplete pentaptych): 11.16183 (center left), 11.16184 (right), 11.16185 (left), 11.16186 (center right)

The fifth, leftmost sheet (Waseda 012-0119, not in the MFA) shows Iwai Hanshirô V as Hotei no Oichi.
Signed Gofûtei Sadatora ga (on each sheet)
五風亭貞虎画
Marks Censor's seal: kiwame
改印:極
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 – d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.