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Biwa Pass at Ôkute Station (Ôkute, Biwa kôge): Actor Nakamura Utaemon IV as Kagekiyo on Hyûga Island (Hyûga Kagekiyo), from the series The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidô Road (Kisokaidô rokujûkyû eki)


「木曽六十九駅 大久手 琵琶峠 日向景清」 四代目中村歌右衛門
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786–1864)
Publisher: Yawataya Sakujirô (Japanese)
Blockcutter: Ôtaya Takichi (Hori Takichi) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
1852 (Kaei 5), 12th month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 37.3 x 25.8 cm (14 11/16 x 10 3/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.17322
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Gifu-ken Hakubutsukan, Shichidaime Danjûrô to Kunisada, Kuniyoshi (2001), #110-48
DescriptionStation 48.

In kabuki scenes of Kagekiyo on Hyûga island, the former warrior is now a blind lute player; hence the connection to Biwa ("Lute") Pass.
Signed Toyokuni ga, in toshidama cartouche
豊国画(年玉枠)
Marks Censors' seals: Kinugasa, Murata, Rat 12
Blockcutter's mark: Hori Takichi
改印:衣笠、村田、子十二
彫師:彫多吉
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.