The Actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I as Hisamatsu
c. 1743
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; hashira-e, urushi-e
Dimensions
65.5 × 15.3 cm (25 3/4 × 6 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
19197
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I as Hisamatsu a captivating hand-colored woodblock print by Nishimura Shigenaga, created around 1743. This work from Japan's Edo period (1603–1868) exemplifies *ukiyo-e*, the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated fleeting pleasures like kabuki theater. Shigenaga, a master of the Torii school, vividly captures the famed actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I in his role as the lovesick Hisamatsu from a popular drama, showcasing the star's expressive pose and elaborate costume amid swirling robes and dynamic patterns. The print's *hashira-e* format—tall and ...
About the Artist
Nishimura Shigenaga · 1690–1758
Nishimura Shigenaga (c. 1697–1756) was a pioneering Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker born in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), where he initially worked as a landlord in the Tōriabura-chō district before relocating to Kanda-Sakumachō to operate a bookshop. Self-taught with no known formal teacher, he immersed himself in art around 1719, drawing early inspiration from the Torii school's yakusha-e (actor portraits...