The Actor Arashi Kitsusaburo II as Minamoto no Yorimasa

Maker(s)
Artist: Gigadō Ashiyuki 戯画堂芦幸 (active ca. 1814–33)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1822, 2nd month
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 39.2 x 26.3 cm (15 7/16 x 10 3/8 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
The Anne van Biema Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S2004.3.247
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
actor, Anne van Biema collection, Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, kabuki, oban, portrait, theater, ukiyo-e, warrior, yakusha-e
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

During the Edo period (1615-1868) in Japan, fans and admirers collected portraits of their favorite actors in great roles. This portrait depicts kabuki actor Arashi Kitsusaburo ii in the role of the twelfth-century Japanese warrior, Minamoto no Yorimasa, who was famous for dramatically vanquishing a nue, a giant supernatural bird.

The unusual inclusion of a frame around the portrait suggests another layer of meaning beyond the memory of an admired actor's performance. The frame is similar to those that surround the painted wooden votive panels people offered to the native Shinto gods (kami) for blessings and protection.

Published References
  • At the Museums. vol. XLIX, no. 1, 2003. p. 73.
  • Andreas Marks. Japanese Woodblock Prints (1680–1938). Köln, Germany. p. 321.
  • Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 303, p. 344.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use