Kagamiyama, section of a sheet from the series "A Harimaze Mirror of Joruri Plays (Harimaze joruri kagami)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; section of harimaze sheet
Dimensions
15.4 × 10 cm (6 1/16 × 3 15/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33456
Art Historical Context
Behold a captivating snippet from Utagawa Kunoshi's *Kagamiyama*, a section of the whimsical *A Harimaze Mirror ofuri Plays (Harimaze joruri kagami)* series, created in 1854. This diminutive color woodblock print (154 × 10 cm) captures a dramatic moment from the famed joruri puppet theater play *Kagam*, evoking the intense emotions of loyalty and vendetta in feudal Japan. Kuniyoshi a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, infuses the scene with his signature dynamic compositions and expressive figures, blending theatrical flair with vivid storytelling. The harimaze format—irregularly shaped sheets ...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...