The Dancer

This untitled series of dancers is based on the annual Nerimono Festival held in Shinmachi, the licensed quarters in Osaka. In addition to this series of surimono prints, Shigenobu also designed a similar series in the standard oban format, entitled The Nerimono Festival at Shinmachi, Osaka, Osaka Shinmachi nerimono, all on a yellow ground. These are often dated to c. 1822 (Keyes 1973, 24, and 340-45). Some of these prints are, indeed, direct counterparts of the designs in the surimono format. Mirviss & Carpenter date this untitled series to VI/1822² a rather improbable date for the issue of a surimono series, although Osaka customs may have been different. Indeed, Keyes³ suggests that this series of surimono was produced at the same time as the festival that took place in 1822/V.

I believe instead that Shigenobu may have produced the commercial series from 1822/V, initially as oban prints, soon after his arrival in early 1822 (also designing a print later that year commemorating the name change of Arashi Tokusaburo into Arashi Kitsusaburo, 1822/IX, with Hokushu), and the nerimono surimono version only for the New Year of 1823.

This design dates from the period Shigenobu lived and worked in Osaka. This also explains the addition 'from the Eastern Capital', Toto, to the signature. Shigenobu resided there from 1822⁴ until the spring of 1823 (Nagata, idem), or 1825 (as proposed by Mirviss & Carpenter)⁵, 1826⁶ or simply the mid-1820s⁷ when he returned to Edo. The last Edo publication he illustrated was issued in 1822, and the first kyoka collection with his illustrations, Kyoka Poems by 50 Poets, Kyoka gojunin isshu, selected by Ki no Osamaru⁸ was published in 1823 in Osaka. One anthology is known for the New Year of 1827, the Kyoka and Records of People, Kyoka jinbutsushi, also published in Edo.⁹ The dating of this series of surimono is based on his earliest Osaka publications.

Surimono designed during his Osaka period often have poems by poets from that city and, as a great benefit to the quality, were often produced at the Tani Seiko Studio operated by Tani Seikodo Takuboku. After his return to Edo, Shigenobu seems to have only used the signature Yanagawa Reisai - probably to distinguish him from his pupil, known earlier as Shigeyama who started using the signature Yanagawa Shigenobu from 1822. Keyes, however, assumes that Shigenobu II only started using this name from 1833 after his teacher died.¹⁰ This naturally also has a bearing on the dating of the designs by Shigenobu II, q.v.

For others of the series, including references to prints in the oban nerimono series, see:

Woman dancer with uchiwa

Woman dancer with ogi, chrysanthemum-patterned kimono - Drouot 1980, 3, 151¹¹

Woman dancer in black over red, long sword¹²

Woman holding scroll, Mitate of Kanzan¹³

Woman dancer holding a small drum

Woman holding broom, mitate of Jittoku¹⁴

Woman with long-handled drumstick - NME, Leiden, 1353-1919, Palmer 357-1 [cf. Yoyogiku of the Kurahashiya in Momijigari, MFA 11.25831]

Woman dancer touching hair and holding ogi (?) - BM 1906,1220,0.299
Woman dancer holding bow¹⁵

Woman dancer with dragon-crown¹⁶ [cf. Nanazuru as Ryoo, BM 1943,0508,0.31]

Geisha by potted irises¹⁷

Geisha holding drumsticks¹⁸

Dancer by saddle, holding bow

Dancer holding coiled snake¹⁹.