Ichimura Kamezo and Arashi Tomonosuke
ca. 1748
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm); W. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP826
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the dynamic *Ichimura Kamezo andashi Tomonosuke*, captivating woodblock print by Torii Kiyomasu I, created around 1748 during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). This intimate hosoban-format work—measuring just 12⅜ × 5¾ inches—showcases two renowned kabuki actors in character, frozen in expressive poses that evoke the theatrical energy of the time. Kiyomasu I, a of the Torii school specialized in yakusha-e (actor prints), blending artistry with the popular culture of urban Edo (modern Tokyo). Woodblock printing with ink and color on paper was the hallmark of ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the f...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomasu I
Torii Kiyomasu I was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist working in the early eighteenth century, closely associated with the Torii school, one of the most important lineages in the history of Japanese woodblock printmaking. The Torii school was founded by Torii Kiyonobu, and Kiyomasu I is believed to have been either his son or a close pupil — the precise family relationship remains a matter of scholarly d...