東洲斎写楽画 初代市川男女蔵の奴一平 『恋女房染分手綱』|Ichikawa Omezō I in the Role of Yakko Ippei from the Play "Koinyōbō somewake tazuna"
1794
Medium
Woodblock print; ink, color, white mica on paper
Dimensions
14 7/8 x 9 7/8 in. (37.8 x 25.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1914
Accession Number
JP196
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period kabuki theater with this stunning woodblock print by Tshūsai Sharaku, created in 1794. Titled *Ichikawa Omezō in the Role of Yak Ippei from the PlayKoinyōbō somewake tazuna" it captures the famed actor in the dynamic role of Yakko Ippei, a-wielding manservant. Sharaku, a mysterious ukiyo-e master active just two years, revolutionized actor portraits (yakusha-e) with his bold unflinching style—large, expressive faces that pierce the viewer's soul, blending psychological depth with theatrical exaggeration. Printed on paper with ink, vibrant colors, and ...
About the Artist
Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794–1795
Tōshūsai Sharaku stands as one of the most enigmatic figures in Japanese art history, a ukiyo-e printmaker whose brilliant career blazed for just ten months from the summer of 1794 to early spring 1795. Active exclusively in Edo (modern Tokyo), he produced approximately 150 woodblock prints and sketches, primarily yakusha-e—intimate portraits of kabuki actors captured mid-performance. Published by...