The Actor Ichikawa Ichizo I as Gokumon no Shobei

Maker(s)
Artist: Kunihiro (fl. ca. 1816-1841)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1827
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 38 x 25.4 cm (14 15/16 x 10 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
The Anne van Biema Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S2004.3.252
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, yakusha-e
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Many Osaka actor prints display distinctive color schemes and design features such as the flat background here, which has a bold pattern resembling a textile design. The crosshatching of white lines and the triple-line pattern of the actor's costume are created by leaving the paper unprinted. The actor's name and role are supplied in boldly stylized red calligraphy in which the unusually large characters are patterned with the small white circles of a tie-dyed textile. The background pattern resembles the crest of the Ichikawa family of kabuki actors.

Published References
  • Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 54, pp. 160-161.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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