The Actor Segawa Kikunojo II as the nun Seigen
c. 1762
Medium
Color woodblock print; hashira-e, benizuri-e
Dimensions
66.7 × 7.7 cm (26 1/4 × 3 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23280
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo Japan (modern-day Tokyo), Torii Kiyomitsu I's *The Actor Segawa Kikuno II as the nun Se* (c. 1762) the theatrical glamour of kabuki. This woodblock print portrays the renowned onnagata actor Segawa Kikunojo in the role of Seigen, a ghostly nun popular kabuki dramas. Kiyomitsu, a master of the Torii school, specialized in yakusha-e (actor prints), blending sharp observation with dynamic poses to immortalize stage stars for everyday admirers. The print's hashira-e format—tall and slender at 66.7 × 7.7 cm—made it ideal for hanging on household pillars, br...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomitsu I · 1735–1785
Japanese, 1735–1785