The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro 4th as a Man
ca. 1780
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm); W. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1929
Accession Number
JP1543
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsukawa Shunkō's woodblock print *The Actor Matsumoto Kōō IV as a Man* (ca. 1780) captures the charisma of kabuki theater. This intimate hosoban-format print—measuring just 12¼ × 5¾ inches—depicts the renowned actor Matsumoto Kōshirō IV in a dynamic male role, his expressive face and flowing robes rendered with bold lines and vivid colors. Shunkō a master of the Kats school, specialized in yak-e (actor portraits), blending with dramatic flair to immortalize stage stars for everyday fans. Ukiyo-e prints like this one, meaning "pictures of...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunkō
Katsukawa Shunkō I (1743–1812) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who pioneered the ōkubi-e (large-head) portrait format in kabuki actor prints and served as possibly the first student of Katsukawa Shunshō, the founder of the influential Katsukawa school. Born in 1743, Shunkō spent his entire life in Edo (modern Tokyo), working as both a painter and ukiyo-e printmaker specializing in yakusha-e (actor p...