Actor Asao Tamejûrô I as Drunken Gotôbei in “Yoshitsune’s Koshigoe Petition” (“Yoshitsune Koshigoe jô”)

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Kabuki theater with this striking color woodblock print by Katsukawa Shun'ei, created around 1790. Titled *Actor Asao Tamejûrô I as Drunken Gotôbei inYoshitsune’s Koshigoe Petition” (“Yoshitsune Koshigoe jô”)*, it captures the celebrated actor in a dynamic role from a popular play about the legendary warrior Yoshitsune. Shun'ei, a master of the Katsukawa school, specialized in yakusha-e—portraits of Kabuki performers—that brought the stage's energy to everyday viewers. Printed in the narrow hosoban format (32.9 × 14.7 cm), this intimate size made it affordable and collectible, often pasted into albums or albums as souvenirs of live performances. The woodblock technique, involving carved blocks inked in multiple colors, allowed for bold lines, vivid hues, and expressive details, highlighting Tamejûrô I's exaggerated drunken pose and theatrical makeup—hallmarks of ukiyo-e's "pictures of the floating world." This print not only showcases Shun'ei's skill in conveying motion and emotion but also reflects late 18th-century Japan's thriving theater culture, where star actors like Tamejûrô I became cultural icons. A gem from the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, it invites us to imagine the roar of the audience and the thrill of the hanamichi runway.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shun'ei · 1762–1819

Katsukawa Shun'ei (1762–1819) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who succeeded his master Katsukawa Shunshō as head of the Katsukawa school around 1800, continuing and advancing the school's innovations in kabuki actor portraiture. Born on December 13, 1762, into a landlord family with the surname Isoda, Shun'ei trained under Shunshō from his youth and became one of the most accomplished designers of y...