「旦生言語備」|A Celebration of Actors (Yakusha mono iwai)
Medium
Illustrated books, 2 volumes; a: 16 leaves; b: 13 leaves
Dimensions
9 x 6 1/4 in. (22.9 x 15.9 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Seymour Fund, 1958
Accession Number
JIB173a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Ryūkōsai Jokei’s *A Celebration of Actors (Yusha mono iwai)*, created in 1784, the era’s obsession with kabuki theater. This charming two-volume illustrated book—volume a with 16 leaves and volume b with 13features woodblock-printed images of male and female actors (including onnagata, male performers specializing in female roles). Measuring a compact 9 x 6¼ inches (22.9 x 15.9 cm), it was designed for intimate appreciation, much like a personal album of the period’s biggest stars. As part of the ukiyo-e tradition—“pictures of the floating...