Memorial portrait of the actor Iwai Hanshiro VIII

Art Historical Context

This striking color woodblock print, titled *Memorial Portrait of the Actor Iwai Hanshiro VIII*, was created by Adachi Ginko in 1882. Ginko, a prolific Japanese artist active during the Meiji era, captures the likeness of the renowned Kabuki performer Iwai Hanshiro VIII in a posthumous tribute. Rendered in the traditional oban format—measuring 34.4 × 23.4 cm—this vertical print exemplifies the enduring popularity of actor portraits, or *yakusha-e*, which celebrated theater stars as cultural icons. Printed using the intricate woodblock technique, where separate blocks were carved for each colo...