The Actor 2nd Nakamura Sukegoro as a Robber
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm); W. 5 7/8 in. (14.9 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
JP896
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsukawa Shunshō's *The Actor 2nd Nakamura Sukegoro as a Robber* (1774) captures the dramatic flair of kabuki theater. This woodblock print (nishiki-e), or "brocade picture," showcases the renowned actor Nakamura Sukegoro II in a fierce robber role, complete with sword at the ready. Shunshō, a master of the Katsukawa school and pioneer of yakusha-e (actor portraits), expertly renders the performer's expressive pose and costume, blending realism with theatrical exaggeration to evoke the "floating world" of ukiyo-e entertainment. The nishik...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792