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Sawamura Sōjūrō III as a messenger (hikyaku), holding a child—in reality Ōtomo no Kuronushi in disguise.
There is no question as to the performance with which this print should be connected, but there is some doubt about the rôle represented. We have adopted Ihara’s identification because the Yakusha Ninsō Kagami refers to Sōjūrō’s appearance as a messenger in the ninth scene of the ichibanme. The name on the sign-post, Sekidera, is associated with the story of Ono no Komachi.
The bamboo is printed in black against moss green. The foreground is yellow. Sōjūrō is dressed in a short outer garment of red-brown with stripes of moss green on pale yellow. His skirt and the kimono of the child are in faded rose. The rest of the print is mainly in two tones of gray.
This subject is the only known Sharaku hosoye in which the background is printed in black to indicate that the action represented occurred at night. The nearest approach to it may be seen in number 78 which is also a night scene but is said to have had the sky printed in a deep gray that has oxidized.
The only impression hitherto reproduced was rephotographed by Noguchi and as Rumpf number 128 from the Vignier-Inada Catalogue, number 302, and is somewhat trimmed, especially at the bottom. There are two impressions in America.
Hosoye. Black ground indicating night. Signed: Sharaku.
Colburn Collection.
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