The actor Onoe Kikugoro III appears as the "Flowers" panel in an untitled surimono triptych on the classical snow-moon-flowers theme (setsugekka), the trio of seasonal beauties central to Japanese aesthetics. Produced as a luxury shikishiban surimono in the early 1830s, the print would have been accompanied by haiku or kyoka verse celebrating the actor through the seasonal conceit. Kuniyoshi's handling of the floral imagery and kabuki costuming merges theatrical portrait with seasonal poetry print.
Woodblock print
c. 1832/38
Color woodblock print; oban
Yuki no Miyajima
1929
Color woodblock print; oban
1932
Woodblock print
Flowers: Onoe Kikugoro III, from an untitled series of actors representing snow, moon, and flowers was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) in c. 1830s.
Flowers: Onoe Kikugoro III, from an untitled series of actors representing snow, moon, and flowers depicts snow scenes, kabuki, and moonlight.