The Actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan *The Actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX*, a captivating woodblock print by Kitao Shigemasa from 1769. This hosoban-format piece (12 1/8 x 5 1/4 in.) showcases the renowned kabuki performer in a dynamic pose, blending ink and color on paper to capture the fleeting glamour of theater life. Shigemasa, a master ofkiyo-e—"pictures of the floating world"—led in yakusha-e, or actor prints, which immortalized stars like Uzaemon IX during Japan's golden age of entertainment (Edo period, 1615–1868). Kabuki theater was a cultural phenomenon, drawing massive crowds to Edo's playhouses, and prints like this served as affordable souvenirs and fan art, spreading actors' fame. The delicate layering of colors—early techniques Shigemasa refined after studying under Suzuki Harunobu—highlights floral motifs alongside the actor's expressive costume and makeup, evoking themes of beauty and performance. Tags of "Flowers" and "Actors" underscore this fusion, symbolizing ephemerality in ukiyo-e tradition. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection (The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936), this print offers a window into 18th-century Japan's urban pulse, where art and celebrity intertwined. A true gem for lovers of Japanese prints!

About the Artist

Kitao Shigemasa · 1739–1820

Kitao Shigemasa (1739–1820), born in the bustling Nihonbashi district of Edo (modern Tokyo), emerged as a pivotal figure in ukiyo-e woodblock printing during Japan's Edo period. The eldest son of the bookseller Suharaya Mohei—from a lineage of publishers—Shigemasa, originally named Kitabatake Tarōkichi, was immersed in the world of printing from youth. Largely self-taught, he later studied under t...