The Actor Ichikawa Tsunazo, from "A Picture Book of Stage Fans (Ehon butai ogi)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; page from illustrated book
Dimensions
24.5 × 15.3 cm (9 5/8 × 6 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
31323
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of18th-century Japanese theater *The Actor Ichikawa Tsun*, a color woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho from the illustrated book *A Picture Book Stage Fans (Ehonai ogi)*, in 1770. Shunsho, a master of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), specialized in yakusha-e—striking portraits of Kabuki actors that captured their dramatic poses and expressive faces. This intimate page, measuring just 24.5 × 15.3 cm, Ichikawa Tsunazo in a dynamic role, embodying the theatrical flair that enthralled Edo-period audiences. Printed during Japan's Edo era, when Kabuki was a c...