The Actor Otani Hiroji III and the Actor Onoe Kikugoro I
ca. 1778
Medium
Diptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
A: H. 12 in. (30 cm); W. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm) B: H. 11 15/16 in. (30.3 cm); W. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1918
Accession Number
JP400a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with Katsukawa Shunshō'sThe Actor Otani Hiroji III and the Actore Kikugoro I* (ca. 1778), a stunning diptych of woodblock prints from the Museum of Art. Shunshō, a master the Katsukawa school and pioneer in ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), two legendary Kabuki actors in dynamic poses, likely mid-performance with swords at the ready. This intimate-scale work—each panel about 12 inches tall—pairs Otani Hiroji III and Onoe Kikugoro I, stars of the theater scene whose images fueled fan frenzy among commoners. Crafted as nishiki-e, or "bro...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792