Joruri Shosagoto: Actor Nakamura Shikan IV as Benikan

This is a representation of a scene from the Kabuki dance "Iro Momiji Tsugiki no Futsutsuka," performed in the 7th month of 1864 at the Morita-za in Edo (present-day Tokyo), as part of the reopening program of this theater after its destruction following a fire. Nakamura Shikan IV plays Benikan, a famous street performer active in Edo in the 1850s and 1860s. The play takes place on the grounds of a temple in Asakusa, where a group of people watch the performances of various entertainers, including Benikan. The actor is shown playing a shamisen with a plectrum while simultaneously holding two drumsticks to play a drum. She wears a blue outer robe, and on her head she wears a mask of Okame, a smiling woman with round cheeks, a symbol of happiness and good fortune. On his back, the actor carries a fan, along with what may be a flute. This characterization resembles that known for the real Benikan, who performed in the streets as a "one-man band," playing various instruments while dancing. He attached a small drum to the shamisen, later adding other instruments such as bells or the flute, and also props like masks and fans that he used for dancing. A member of the Edo bourgeoisie, and with a special talent for music, Benikan cultivated an unshakeable reputation in shamisen accompaniment, being admired and recognized by the citizens, despite being accused of immorality. While performing on the street, Benikan's performative style was adapted for the Kabuki stage in 1864 with the piece evoked here, in which Shikan IV presented a stylized version of the artist's dances, acting opposite Sawamura Tanosuke III in a female role that appears in the remaining part of this diptych. In the title of the print, the expression "joruri shosagoto" refers to a dramatic dance accompanied by a sung narrative. This dance was recently performed in 2017 and 2019.
Right print belonging to an incomplete diptych.