Backstage Illustrations of the Theater

Japanese: 戯場楽屋図会 - しばいがくやずえ

A commentary on Kabuki. Written by Matsukosai Hanbei. 2 volumes of the main text and 2 volumes of the additional text. Judging from the contents, the main text was published in 1801 (Kyowa 1), and the additional text in 1804 (Bunka 1). Published by Shioya, Kawachiya, and Hachimonjiya in Osaka. Of these, the Shioya edition is probably the first edition. The Shioya edition contains colored portraits of actors from the lower volume of the additional text. The author was the foremost Kabuki artist in Osaka at the time, and the contents mainly focus on the pictures and explain Osaka plays, including theaters, actors, life, events, and customs. The additional text focuses on puppetry. It does not have the humorous elements of similar books published in Edo, such as Hakan Sandai Zue and Gijyo Kunmou Zui.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

歌舞伎解説書。松好斎半兵衛著。正編2冊，拾遺2冊。刊行は内容から推して正編が1801年(享和1)，拾遺が04年(文化1)か。大坂塩屋，河内屋，八文字屋刊。このうち塩屋板が初板か。塩屋板には拾遺下之巻の役者似顔絵が色摺りのものがある。著者は当代第一の大坂の歌舞伎絵師で，内容は絵を中心に大坂の芝居について，劇場，役者，生活，行事，風俗などを解説している。拾遺は人形操りを中心に解説している。江戸出板の類書《羽勘三台図絵》や《戯場訓蒙図彙》のような滑稽本的な要素はない。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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