Torii Kiyonaga Picture Signboard of "Jyunsyoku Yaoya Oshichi"

The oldest existing picture signboard in Japan used in the performance at Kawarasaki-za theater in July of Kansei 5 (1793). Since Genroku era, picture signboards decorated on the front of theaters have been exclusively painted by artists of the Torii school. Kiyonaga, the 4th generation from the Torii family, was famous for his portraits of beautiful slender women, and also drew pictures inspired by kabuki actively. He even created a new form called degatari-zu (picture of musical accompanists performing background music on the stage) which described shamisen players of joruri as well as actors in yakusha-e (picture of kabuki actors). Inspite of its exfoliates and tears, this picture is very valuable as one of Kiyonaga’s original paintings.