The Actor Sanjo Kantaro II as Oshichi in the play "Nanakusa Fukki Soga," performed at the Ichimura Theater in the first month, 1718
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; hosoban, urushi-e
Dimensions
33.7 × 15.3 cm (13 1/4 × 6 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
19130
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with *The Actor Sanjo Kantaro II as Oshichi in the "Nanakusa Fukki Soga,"* a captivating 1718 woodblock print byii Kiyomasu II. From the renowned Torii school, masters of yakusha-e (actor prints this hosoban-format piece—narrow and elegant at 33.7 × 15.3 cm—captures kabuki star in dynamic pose, embodying the tragic lover Oshichi during a performance at Tokyo's Ichimura Theater in the first lunar month. Printed as an urushi-e, or "lacquer print," it showcases early innovative techniques: hand-coloring over woodblocks with glue-based pigments that...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomasu II · 1706–1763
At one point this artist was incorrectly identified as Kiyonobu II.