Posted by Nils U. Bosshard on January 13, 1999 at 05:33:06:
I have a hand coloured square print (22 x 23.5 cm = 8 1/2 x 9 1/4") "titeled" Ichimura-za showing the actors Matsumoto Koshiro, Otani Hiroji, and Iwai Hanshiro. It is signed RANSHU.
The only reference to Ranshu I could find was in F.Succo's book "Katsukawa Shunsho (Haruaki) of 1922. There he states (translated from German): "The Japanese references, as far as I know, do not mention Ranshu. I know of only one print from the Kurth collection, that is also contained in the Sotheby catalogue of 1913 (# 107) as "outline proof" dated c.1790. The print shows the actors Matsumoto Koshiro of the Nakamura theatre, Otani Hiroji, and Iwai Hanshiro. Perhaps the name "Nakamuraya" stands for all three actors. [Succo might err here, as the print clearly contains the name Ichimura-za, not Nakamura-ya.] The whole prints reminds us of Shunsho in such a manner that one hardly can believe it is only his influence. [There follow several arguments, why it resembles the work of Shunsho. The last sentence is to me somewhat unclear]: I would not stand for it to count the master among Shunsho's disciples". My interpretation is that he thinks Ranshu might be Shunsho himself.
Does anyone have any information about Ranshu?
Does anyone have a Sotheby catalogue of 1913 and could look up # 107 for me and tell me what is stated there?
Thank you,
Nils