Yoshitoshi 芳年: Nakamura Shikan IV as Kato Kiyomasa 中村芝翫 加藤清正 (Sold)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 芳年 (1839-1892) Title: Nakamura Shikan IV as Kato Kiyomasa 中村芝翫 加藤清正Date: 1867, 8th month Fierce portrait of Kato Kiyomasa 加藤清正 played by Nakamura Shikan IV 中村芝翫４in the Kabuki performance “かい音全七字旗いろ“ (Kachidoki kachidoki shichiji no hata iro) held at the Nakamura-za中村座 in August 1867. He fixes us with his fierce glare, filling both pages with his presence, bearing full battle regalia and firmly grasping a pole arm weapon. There are two versions of this print: one with the background in blue 藍潰しand  one with the background in red, as here 赤潰し. Later it was published as a warrior print, musha-e 武者絵 after his face had been changed by re-carving and the publishers seal was removed. At the back on his personal standard is written: “Namu Amida Butsu 南無阿弥陀仏”, a prayer to Amida Buddha (or perhaps nanmu myoho). On his breast we see his mon, a large ring that symbolized the eye of the serpent. Kato Kiyomasa (1562-1611) was a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the u