The actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Sagami Goro, from the series "Popular Actors as the 108 Heroes of the Water Margin (Ryuko yakusha Suikoden goketsu hyakuichinin no hitori)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
37.2 × 23.2 cm (14 5/8 × 9 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
32928
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan, Utagawa Kunisada I (also known as Toyokuni), a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, captured the drama of kabuki theater in this striking 1828 color woodblock print. Titled *The Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII as Sagami Gorō, from the series "Popular Actors the 108 Heroes of Water Margin"*, it portrays the renowned actor in the role of a fierce bandit from the classic Chinese novelSuikoden* (Water Margin). This popular series fused kabuki stardom with epic tales of outlaws, reflecting Japan's fascination with heroic rebels and theatrical spectacle during a t...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864
Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...