Memorial Portrait of the Actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII
Utagawa School
1854
Medium
Color woodblock print
Classification
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23789
Art Historical Context
This striking color woodblock print from thetagawa School, created in 1854, honors the renowned kabuki actor Ichikawajūrō VIII. Produced during Japan's late Edo period, it exemplifies *yakusha-e* (actor prints), a popular genre in ukiyo art that captured the dramatic flair of theater stars. The Utagawa School, a prolific lineage including masters like Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, dominated woodblock printing, blending vivid storytelling with exquisite craftsmanship to immortalize fleeting performances. The medium of color woodblock print was revolutionary for its time, involving multiple carved ch...