The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo II, 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
89687
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Japanese theater *The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo*, a stunning color woodblock print by Ippitsusai Buncho from the 1770 illustrated book * Picture Book of Stage FansEhon butai ogi)*. Buncho, a pioneering uyo-e artist during Japan's Edo period, captured the fleeting beauty of kabuki performers, reflecting the era's obsession with popular culture, entertainment, and fashion. This intimate page, measuring just 24.5 × 15.3 cm, showcases the famed actor Ichikawa Yaozo II in dynamic pose, his elaborate costume and expressive features leaping off the page. Woodbl...