Monkey Theater at Asakusa

Utagawa Yoshitsuya (Japanese, 1822–1866)

Ebiya Rinnosuke (Kaijudô) (Japanese)

1860 (Ansei 7/Man'en 1), 3rd month

Medium/TechniqueWoodblock print (sumizuri-e); ink on paper

Dimensions35.7 x 48.4 cm (14 1/16 x 19 1/16 in.)

Credit LineWilliam Sturgis Bigelow Collection

Accession number11.45599

On View

Not on view

ClassificationsPrints

Collections

Description

The fairgrounds behind the Senso-ji temple at Asakusa hosted many different kinds of exhibitions and performances, including the monkey theater advertised in this cheaply printed broadside. In addition to acrobatic tricks such as tightrope-walking, costumed monkeys enacted scenes from some eight different kabuki plays. The names listed prominently in the lower left corner are presumably those of the monkey trainers, all members of the same family: Katsumi Tsurunosuke, Katsumi Kokichi, and Katsumi Hananosuke.

Inscriptions「憚りながら口上書を以て申し上げ奉り候。御町中様、益々御機嫌能く御座遊ばされ恐悦至極に存じ奉り候、随て此度当山御開帳に付き、上方表より古今珍しき猿芝居の下り、大道具大仕掛にて何かな御意に叶ひ候芸等を、種々な工風も猿智恵の、古きを以て新しく、書き直したるいろは文字、大師の筆と云ふ事は、三ツ子も知つた高野山、はる〴〵登る石童丸、苅萱に似た修行者に、道を聞いたは清姫が、思ひも深き日高川、やふ〳〵献じて道成寺、鐘にうらみは十郎兵衛、おつるを我が子としり浪の、切てもきれぬ綱渡り、水わたりにあらね共、狐を狩に悪右衛門、安倍の保名と葛の葉狐、童子に残す一首の歌、左書やら口文字やら、尋ね来て見よ浅草の、花の名地の奥山に、興行初日より永当〳〵御来駕の程、偏に希上げ奉り候、以上。太夫元」

ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)

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.