Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Fujiwara no Shihei (Tokihira, Minister of the Left), in Ume Sakura Aioi-zoshi
c. 1816
Medium
Color woodblock print; uchiwa-e (fan print)
Dimensions
22.9 × 26.8 cm (9 × 10 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
154248
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant *Ichikawa Danjūrō VII as Fujiwara Shihei (Tokih, Minister of the Left in Ume Sakura Aioi-zoshi*, a masterful color woodblock print by Utagawa Toyok I, created around 1816. This uchiwa-e, or fan print, captures the kabuki superstar Danjūrō VII in dramatic role from the play *Ume Aioi-zoshi*. Toyokuni I, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") school, specialized in yakusha-e—actor portraits that immortalized theater idols with bold poses, expressive faces, and lavish costumes, turning performers into cultural icons of Edo-period Japan. Measuring ju...
About the Artist
Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835
Japanese, 1777–1835