Toyokuni II: Onoe Kikugoro-o 尾上菊五郎 With Folding Fan

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni II (1777-1835) Title: Onoe Kikugoro-o 尾上菊五郎 With Fan and printed brocade border Date: ca 1828-1829 Okubi-e (bust portrait) of the actor Onoe Kikugoro-o III, depicted holding a fan with an image of a blossoming plum branch. His coat also bears a pattern of plum blossoms, also referring to his names--the name Bai-ko-o or his poet name Bai-ju, carry the character “Bai,” meaning plum.  On his coat we see a large crest with chrysanthemums and leaves of oak--these symbols relate to  his name Kikugoro-o, “Kiku” meaning chrysanthemum and oak leaves for the Otowa-ya Clan, to which the Onoe Family belongs. This portrait of the Kabuki actor Onoe Kikugoro-o III 三代目尾上菊五郎(1784-1849) of the Otowa-ya 音羽屋 is accompanied by a poem by Jippensha Ikku十返舎一九 (1765-1831). Onoe Kikuguro-o III is one of the four famous Kabuki actors who were credited with manifesting the golden age of Kabuki during the Bunka-Bunsei Period (1804-30).  Kikugoro-o first received the name Baiko-o III 三代目尾上梅