The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo II as a Samurai

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–8), Katsukawa Shunō's *The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo as a Samurai* (ca. 1765) captures the theatrical flair of kabuki drama. Shunshō, a leadingkiyo-e master and founder of the Katsukawa school, specialized in yakusha-e—dynamic portraits of actors—that brought the "floating world" of entertainment to life. Here, the famed kabuki performer Ichikawa Yaozō II strikes a fierce pose as a samurai, sword at the ready, embodying the heroic intensity of stage roles that captivated urban audiences in Edo (modern Tokyo). This nishiki-e woodblock print, meaning "brocade picture," showcases the revolutionary multi-block color printing technique perfected in the mid-18th century. Ink and vibrant pigments on paper create a luxurious, jewel-like effect, with precise registration aligning colors for depth and realism. At just 12 x 5½ inches, it was affordable yet exquisite, designed for fans to collect and display, democratizing art in a booming print culture. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, this print highlights Shunshō's influence on later giants like Hokusai and Hiroshige, preserving a snapshot of Japan's theatrical golden age where actors like Yaozō were celebrities, blending artistry, drama, and sword-wielding bravado.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792

Japanese, 1726–1792