The Actor Danjuro III as an Itinerant Peddler
1726–1792
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
12 3/4 x 5 3/4 in. (32.4 x 14.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Henry L. Phillips Collection, Bequest of Henry L. Phillips, 1939
Accession Number
JP2888
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling theater world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868) with Katsukawa Shunsh's captivating woodblock print, * Actor Danjuro III an Itinerant Pedler*. Created by the master ukiyo-e Shunshō (1726–1792), this niki-e—meaning "brocade picture"—depicts the legendary kabuki actor Ichikawajūrō III in role of a wandering peddler. At just 12 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches, its narrow vertical format mimics the ōban sheets popular for displaying actor likenesses, or *yakusha-e*, in homes and shops. Shunshō's genius shines in the print's vibrant inks and colors layered via intricate woodblock carving, ...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792