Ichikawa Omezo
1794
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
37.3 × 25.4 cm (14 11/16 × 10 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
86969
Art Historical Context
Behold the striking portrait *Ichikawa Omezo* (1794), a masterpiece of ukiyo-e woodblock printing by Utagawa Kunimasa, a skilled artist from the renowned Utagawa school in Edo-period Japan. This oban-sized color woodblock print (37.3 × 25.4 cm) captures the dramatic likeness of Kabuki actor Ichikawa Omezo, likely in a dynamic theatrical pose that embodies the "floating world" of entertainment and fleeting beauty central to ukiyo-e culture. Kunimasa's technique exemplifies the artistry of nishiki-e, or "brocade pictures," where intricate woodblocks were carved separately for each color and lay...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunimasa · 1773–1810
Utagawa Kunimasa (1773–1810) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist specializing in yakusha-e, or Kabuki actor prints, during the late Edo period. Born in Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture in 1773, Kunimasa initially worked in a local dye factory for several years before pursuing his true passion. As an ardent Kabuki theatre enthusiast, he relocated to Edo (modern Tokyo) to establish himself as an artist capable ...