About the "Illustrated Collection of Famous Japanese Puppets of the Osaka Bunrakuza"

This collection of prints was issued over the period March 1926 (Taishō 15) to August 1927 (Shōwa 2)¹ by the publishing houses Bijutsusha 美術社 in Tokyo and and three months last be Hangakai hanmoto 版画会板元 (板畫會板元) in Kyoto on a subscription (members only) basis. The cost per set was 3 yen. The editor and publisher for both the Bijutsusha and Hangakai hanmoto sets was Hayashi Eikichi 林榮吉, who was also the editor for Hasegawa's Collection of One Hundred Kumadori Makeups in Kabuki. The Illustrated Collection of Famous Japanese Puppets of the Osaka Bunrakuza consists of twelve sets of prints each set depicting a specific play in the bunraku repertory, as listed in the below table. Each set contains a stage set for the specific play along with three prints of puppet characters appearing in the play and an explanatory sheet, for a total of forty-eight color woodblock prints and twelve monochrome explanatory sheets. Each of the stage set prints was originally issued with a tissue overlay showing the position of the three puppet characters on the stage. All of the plays pictured were performed at the Bunraku Theater located within the Goryō Shrine compound in Osaka. The Goryō Bunraku-za burned down in November 1926 after what has been described as "an extremely difficult managerial era" and "lost interest" by the public in the late Taisho era.² It is unknown what role, if any, the management of the Goryō Bunraku-za may have played in the formulation and issuance of this print series in their efforts to revitalize the theater.

¹ Dates are taken from the colophons on the envelopes containing the print sets in the Waseda University Archives

² National Diet Library website page http://www.ndl.go.jp/scenery/e/column/kansai/goryo_bunrakuza.html which provides a history of the Goryo Bunrakuza.

Explanation, Stage Set and Three Puppet Portraits for the play

Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees

click on image to enlarge

click on image to enlarge

left: as originally issued in 1926/1927 

right: as reissued by Uchida Publishing, likely post-war.

Note the small modification to the hair on the puppets head in the Uchida print.

colophon accompanying set of prints published by Bijutsusha 美術社 Note that the date of issue for these prints is March 1926, three months earlier than the June date on the Hangakai-issued prints for sale to "members only.". 大正十五年三月十五日摺刷 printed: March 15, 1926 大正十五年三月二十日發行 issued/published: March 20, 1926 定価参圓... list price: 3 yen   編輯兼 發行者 林榮吉 editing and publishing Hayashi Eikichi 筆者  長谷川小信  artist: Hasegawa Sadanobu 彫師 佐藤重一 Jūichi Satō carver 摺師 板垣八重松 woodblock printer: Itagaki Yaematsu 發行所  板画會板元 Source: National Diet Library

colophon accompanying set of prints published by Hangakai hanmoto 板画會板元 大正十五年六月十五日摺刷 printed: June 15, 1926 大正十五年六月二十日發行 issued/published: June 20, 1926  會費参圓也 會員限ニ限リ membership fee: 3 yen  limited to members only 編輯兼 發行者 林榮吉 editing and publishing Hayashi Eikichi 筆者  長谷川小信  artist: Hasegawa Sadanobu 彫師 佐藤重一 carver: Jūichi Satō 摺師 板垣八重松 woodblock printer: Itagaki Yaematsu 發行所  板画會板元 publishing house: Hangakai hanmoto Source: Waseda University Cultural Resource Database 201-1562