The Actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I as Soga no Goro in the play "Hatachiyama Horai Soga," performed at the Ichimura Theater in the first month, 1759
Medium
Color woodblock print; hosoban, benizuri-e
Dimensions
29.9 × 14 cm (11 3/4 × 5 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
19873
Art Historical Context
Step into the lively world of 18th-century Japanese kabuki theater with this exquisite woodblock print by Torii Kiyomitsu, a leading figure in the Torii school of ukiyo-e renowned for their dynamic yakusha-e (actor portraits Created in 1759 the print captures kabuki star Sanogawa Ichimatsu in the role of the heroic Soga no Goro from popular play *Hatachiyama Horai Soga*, at Edo's prestigious Ichimura Theater during the lunar month. At just 29.9 × 14 cm in the narrow hosoban format, it served as an affordable souvenir for theatergoers, immortalizing the actor's expressive pose and elaborate cos...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomitsu I · 1735–1785
Japanese, 1735–1785