Yakusha kijinden 俳優畸人伝

FSC-GR-780.713.1-4

Commentary by Kurahashi Masae

Posted December 7, 2017

Original unedited text in Japanese follows

Yakusha kijinden (Biographies of eccentric kabuki actors) is a kabuki version of the earlier Kinsei kijinden 近世畸人伝 (Biographies of pre-modern eccentrics) by Ban Kōkei 伴蒿蹊 (first vol. 1790, later vols. in 1798) that gathered together anecdotes about various kijin, or “eccentrics.” For this volume Tatekawa (Utei) Enba II compiled the lineages of actors and their accomplishments as well as personal stories. These are complemented by illustrations by Utagawa Kunisada, who at this time was the leading artist of actor prints. The author’s introduction focuses on actors active since the publication of Hana no Edo kabuki nendaiki 花江都歌舞妓年代記 (1811–1815, Flower of Edo kabuki chronology) edited by his predecessor Enba I and as such acknowledges the fact that Enba II was aware of the achievements of his forebear.

This book centers on four kabuki actors: Ichikawa Ebizō V 五代目市川海老蔵 (1791–1859), Segawa Kikunojō V 五代目瀬川菊之丞 (1802–1832), Sawamura Tosshō I 初代沢村訥升 (1802–1853), and Nakamura Shikan II 二代目中村芝翫 (1798–1852). There is a suggestion at the end of thesecond volume of part 2 of a possible sequel, leading to the conjecture that further actors would be depicted in a serialization of this publication. However, to date no text that might be considered a sequel to this work has been confirmed, which suggests that these plans were never realized. The inclusion of only four actors is not great, but there is nonetheless a noteworthy bias in the allocation of text: both volumes of part 1 are devoted to Ebizō, and they include historical information ranging from Ichikawa Danjurō I 初代団十郎 (1660–1704) to Ichikawa Danjurō VIII 八代目団十郞 (1823–1854). A unique trait of this publication is that it depicts Kikunojō V, who died of illness in the first month of 1832—the year before publication—in the same manner as the other three actors who were still alive.

The illustrations are taken from plays performed primarily from the late Bunsei (1818–1830) to the early Tenpō (1830–1844) eras and include others actors active during the same period as the four featured performers. Some of the compositions show the actors in roles they actually performed, while others portray actors in roles otherwise deemed suitable for them. This means that many of the illustrations represent an ideal lineup of actors as imagined by Kunisada.

書名俳優畸人伝

執筆者倉橋正恵

本書は、畸人達の逸話を集めた伴蒿蹊著『近世畸人伝』（正編は寛政2 (1790)、続編は寛政10 (1798)年刊）の歌舞伎版。二世立川焉馬が役者達の系図や業績、逸話をまとめ、当時役者絵の第一人者であった歌川国貞が挿絵を添える。焉馬の自序には、初世焉馬が編んだ『花江都歌舞妓年代記』文化8–12 (1811–1815) 年刊以降に活躍している役者について注目したとあり、二世焉馬が先代の業績を意識して本書を著したことがうかがえる。

本書の中で採り上げる役者は、五代目市川海老蔵（七代目市川団十郎）、五代目瀬川菊之丞、初代沢村訥升、二代目中村芝翫の四人だけであるが、二編下巻の末尾には続編の可能性を示唆していることから、刊行を続行して収録役者数を増やす計画であったと推測できる。ただし、現在のところ本書の続編に該当するものは確認できておらず、企画だけに終わったのであろう。収録役者は四人と少ないものの、その配分には大きく偏りがあり、初編の上下巻2冊を海老蔵、及び初代団十郎から八代目までの来歴に費やす。また、本書刊行の前年天保3年1月に病没した菊之丞を、存命中の他の役者達と同等に扱うのも、この種の出版物の中では特異な点といえる。

挿絵は主に文政末から天保初期にかけて上演された芝居に題材を得たもので、本書で来歴を記した四人の他にも、同時期の江戸歌舞伎界で活躍していた役者達も描く。実際にその役を演じた役者を描くこともあれば、その役に相応しい役者を見立てていることもある。したがって、当代一流の国貞が描いた挿絵の中だけでしか見られない理想の共演となっている図も多い。

Copies in other collections:

Hiroshima University

Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

National Diet Library, Tokyo

Nishio City Iwase Bunko, Aichi Prefecture

Osaka City University

Seikadō Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo

Tōhoku University, Sendai

Tokyo University of the Arts
University of Tokyo

Waseda University Theater Museum, Tokyo