"Menoto Shigenoi portrayed by Iwai Hanshirō IV"　by Sharaku(1794-1795)

All artworks are sold as seen on the picture.　


This picture depicts Shigenoi, the nursemaid, from the play "Koinyōbō Somewake Tazuna," performed at the Kawarazakiza theater in May of the sixth year of Kansei. Shigenoi is the main female character known for her romantic involvement with her lover, Yosaku Date. Yosaku is exiled, leading to the suicide of Shigenoi's father, Sadanosin Takemura. A child born between Shigenoi and Yosaku, named Yonosuke, later became a horseman known as Jinenjyo No Sankichi.
This picture depicts Shigenoi during her journey eastward after Princess Shirabehime goes to the Iruma family in Hamamatsu as an adopted daughter. Along the way, she encounters Sankichi, the horseman. Due to her role as a nursemaid, Shigenoi cannot reveal her true identity as the mother of Yonosuke, leading to a parting between them. This scene is captured in this painting. It is considered one of the finest works of Sharaku's half-length portraits of female roles, portraying Shigenoi, played by the renowned actor Iwai Hanshirō IV, who was acclaimed alongside Segawa Kikunojyō III as one of the leading actors in female roles at that time.　
This is because the portrayal of Hanshirō in female roles is depicted in great detail. The warm human emotions inherent in the role of Shigenoi, the nursemaid, are vividly conveyed in this painting. Additionally, the combination of a kimono with a pattern of pale pink butterfly fans on a white background, paired with a crimson lining adorned with a pattern of nightingales, exudes elegance while maintaining the modesty expected of a nursemaid. Furthermore, her posture, holding a protective pouch in her right hand, reflects a sense of gracefulness, embodying the dignity of a woman serving in the inner chambers of a feudal lord's residence.
The phrase "Truly, Hanshirō was a young female impersonator who combined both talent and beauty, as described in the actor reviews of the time" perfectly encapsulates the essence of this painting.