The Actor Segawa Kikunojo III in an Unidentified Role
c. 1775
Medium
Color woodblock print; hosoban
Dimensions
31.2 × 14.2 cm (12 5/16 × 5 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
31909
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Actor Segawa Kikunojo III in an Unidentified Role*, a vibrant color woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho, created around 1775. Shunsho, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"—mastered yakusha-e, or actor portraits, capturing the theatrical stars of Edo-period Japan (modern-day Tokyo). This hosoban-format print, narrow at just 31.2 × 14.2 cm, showcases Segawa Kikunojo III, a renowned onnagata (female impersonator) in Kabuki theater, poised in an elegant, unidentified role that highlights his graceful poise and expressive features. Shunsho's innov...