Actor Nakamura Noshio II as Tonase in “Model for Kana Calligraphy: Treasury of the 47 Loyal Retainers” (“Kanadehon chûshingura”)
About 1795
Medium
Color woodblock print; ôban
Dimensions
37.2 × 25.1 cm (14 5/8 × 9 7/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21870
Art Historical Context
This vibrant woodblock print by Katsukawa Shun'ei created around 1795, captures actor Nakamura Noshio II the role of Tonase, a devoted nurse from the beloved kabuki play *Kanhon Chûshingura*—a dramatized tale of the 47 loyal retainers (ronin) who avenged their lord's death. Produced during Japan's Edo period, when ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") flourished, this ôban-sized print (a standard large format of about 37 x 25 cm) reflects the era's obsession with kabuki theater. Shun'ei, a master of the Katsukawa school, excelled in yakusha-e (actor portraits), bringing dramatic intensity...
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...