Kuniyoshi 国芳: Drawing of Three Kabuki Actor Faces (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) Title: Drawing of Three Kabuki Actor Faces With Correction Date: ca 1840s Original preparatory drawing of three kabuki actors in various roles. At left must be Ichikawa Danjuro VIII. At right might be Ôtani Tomoemon IV. In the middle is an actor in the role of an otokodate, with his scarf tied jauntily about his neck. The face of the central figure has been corrected with pentimento; we can see how very carefully each face was drawn, as even though actor portraits were quite stylized, each individual actor had a unique face shape and expression.  Kuniyoshi created several series of actor portraits that were numerous snapshots to a page, including the Thirty-six Selected Faces (Mitate sanjûroku gosen, 見立三十六顔撰) from 1847, as well as a series of “Playful drawings” 手遊切抜絵 that show six actor portraits to a page, also ca. 1847. The provenance of this drawing is stellar. It is from the Thomas Stauffer collection, whose collection reportedly contained eigh