The Actor Ichimura Uzaemon Eighth as a Samurai Carring a Basket Hat

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with *The Actor Ichimura Uza Eighth as a Samurai Carrying a Basket Hat*, a captivating woodblock print by Tor Kiyomasu I, around 1752. This hosoban-format print (measuring just 12½ by 5⅞ inches) captures the renowned kabuki actor Ichimurazaemon VIII in a samurai pose, sword at his side and a distinctive basket hat in hand. Produced by the esteemed Torii school, masters of yakusha-e (actor prints), it reflects the ukiyo-e tradition of celebrating fleeting pleasures like theater and celebrity. During Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), kabuki was a booming urban spectacle, blending drama, dance, and elaborate costumes. Kiyomasu I's work highlights this cultural fervor, immortalizing actors as larger-than-life heroes. The print's bold lines and vivid colors—achieved through meticulous woodblock carving and multiple color blocks—demonstrate the innovative techniques that made ukiyo-e accessible and affordable, paving the way for later masters like Hiroshige and Hokusai. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department (gift of the Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914), this piece offers a window into 18th-century Japanese entertainment. Imagine the streets of Edo alive with fans clutching such prints, blurring the lines between stage and street fashion. A testament to artistry's power to preserve performance!

About the Artist

Torii Kiyomasu I · 1696–1716

Torii Kiyomasu I was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist working in the early eighteenth century, closely associated with the Torii school, one of the most important lineages in the history of Japanese woodblock printmaking. The Torii school was founded by Torii Kiyonobu, and Kiyomasu I is believed to have been either his son or a close pupil — the precise family relationship remains a matter of scholarly d...