Duel Scene from the Kabuki Drama, "A Soga Pattern Dyed to Order" (Ōatsurae-zome Soga Hinagata)
Medium
Diptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
A: H. 12 11/16 in. (32.2 cm); W. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm) B: H. 12 13/16 in (32.5 cm); W. 5 9/16 in. (14.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1918
Accession Number
JP399
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with Katsukawa Shunshō'sDuel Scene from the Kabuki Drama, "A Soga Pattern Dyed to Order"* (1774). This dynamic diptych of nishiki-e woodblock captures a tense swordfight from a popular Kabuki play, drawing on the legendary tale of the Soga brothers revenge. Shunshō, a master of the ukiyo-e and founder of the Katsukawa school specialized in yakusha-e—portraits of Kabuki actors—that brought theater stars to life for everyday viewers. Printed in vivid ink and color on paper, the nishiki-e technique mimics luxurious brocade fabrics through layered c...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792