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Stockno.:20-083
Artist:Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳 (1797-1861)
Description: Diptych depicting a scene from the kabuki performance of 'Satomi Hakkenden' at the Ichimura theatre in the first month of Kaei 5 (1852), with Bandō Shūka (right) in the role of Inuzuka Shino battling Seki Sanjūrō (left) as Inukai Kenpachi (chief of police) on the roof of the Hōryōkaku temple. Published by Iseya Kanekichi in c.1852-1854. The play is based on Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (The Diary of Eight Dogs), an epic 19th century serial novel by Kyokutei Bakin. Each hero in the story represents one of the eight samurai virtues and has a name including the ideograph for 'dog'. This rooftop scene in particular became a favourite amongst artists and the public.