Ichikawa Kodanji as Seppu Shinsuke, Ichikawa Sadanji as Kishino Toshiaki, Ichikawa Danjuro as Saijo Takamori, Onoe Kikugoro as Kurata Shinpachiro, Nakamura Chutaro as Shotaro, Onoe Kikunosuke as Magoichi, and Ichikawa Kosaku as Tokumaru in the play Okige no kumo harau asa gochi. Artist: Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese, 1835-1900). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Each panel: 14 1/4 x 9 3/4 in. (36.2 x 24.8 cm). Date: March, 1878.This triptych illustrates a new type of play in the Meiji period, historical dramas (katsureki), which were promoted by Danjuro IX and which took their inspiration from recent events. Illustrated here is the Seinan rebellion against the Meiji government, which occurred in 1877. In this play, Danjuro, in the center, plays Saijo Takamori, a thinly disguised version of Saigo Takamori, who was the leader of the actual rebellion. Kunichika's use of a bright color for the background reflects the intensity of battle. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.