The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro IV as the tragic hero Kagekiyo, a dragon in the foreground.
Danjuro IV, known as Kiba, Approved by Sansho VII, Yondaime Kiba Danjuro - kiwame shichidaime Sansho, with seal: Yau, from un untitled series on The Danjuro Family Tradition of Kabuki Actors.
Ichikawa Danjuro IV (1711-78), the adopted son of Matsumoto Koshiro and the true son of Ichikawa Danjuro II, earlier acted under the names Matsumoto Shichizo and Matsumoto Koshiro II. He acted under the name Danjuro from XI/1754 to X/1770, when he reassumed the name Matsumoto Koshiro II, and later that of Ichikawa Ebizo III.
He first played the role of Kagekiyo - in which he is seen here - in XI/1745 in the play Chikyodai Izu nikki, staged at the Morita Theatre. One of his most successful performances in this role was in I/1767 in Hatsu akinai omise Soga, at the Nakamura Theatre in Edo. He seems to have preferred roles of nobles and lords, judging from the many of these that he performed.
The reprint edition with various modifications is in the collection of the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1353-1447).
One poem by Shinratei Manzo [II, 1762-1831, earlier Shichichin Manpo].
The poem reads:
Faraway things become nearer when the tip of the brush draws the face of the gang leader from Kiba
- Kiba being the Edo district where Danjuro lived.
Issued by the Danjuro Fan Club
Signature reading: the late, ko Toyokuni hitsu
