The Actors Anegawa Shinshiro I and Segawa Kikunojo I
c. 1733
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; hosoban, urushi-e
Dimensions
31.4 × 15.4 cm (12 3/8 × 6 1/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
15747
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo (modern Tokyo) with Torii Kiyoshige's *The Actors Anegawashiro I and Seg Kikunojo I* (c. 1733). This hand-colored woodblock print captures celebrated kabuki stars in dynamic poses, embodying the theatrical flair of Japan's "floating world" – the ukiyo-e culture entertainment, actors, and fleeting pleasures. Kiyoshige a master of the Tor school, specialized in yakusha-e (actor prints), which popularized kabuki idols among urban audiences. Printed in the narrow hosoban format (31.4 × 15.4 cm), ideal for affordable distribution, this urushi-e emplo...