The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III as the Lovers Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left), in the Elopement Scene "Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (An Elopemet: Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds), a Dance Interlude from Part Two of the Play Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga (Flower of Kabuki: The Eternal Soga), Performed at the Ichimura Theater from the Twenty-fifth Day of the Fourth Month, 1781

Q: When was "The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III as the Lovers Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left), in the Elopement Scene "Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (An Elopemet: Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds), a Dance Interlude from Part Two of the Play Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga (Flower of Kabuki: The Eternal Soga), Performed at the Ichimura Theater from the Twenty-fifth Day of the Fourth Month," created?

This artwork was created c. 1781.

Q: Is "The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III as the Lovers Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left), in the Elopement Scene "Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (An Elopemet: Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds), a Dance Interlude from Part Two of the Play Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga (Flower of Kabuki: The Eternal Soga), Performed at the Ichimura Theater from the Twenty-fifth Day of the Fourth Month," in the public domain?

Yes, The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III as the Lovers Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left), in the Elopement Scene "Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (An Elopemet: Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds), a Dance Interlude from Part Two of the Play Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga (Flower of Kabuki: The Eternal Soga), Performed at the Ichimura Theater from the Twenty-fifth Day of the Fourth Month, is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Katsukawa Shunsho

c. 1781

The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III as the Lovers Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left), in the Elopement Scene "Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (An Elopemet: Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds), a Dance Interlude from Part Two of the Play Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga (Flower of Kabuki: The Eternal Soga), Performed at the Ichimura Theater from the Twenty-fifth Day of the Fourth Month, 1781 by Katsukawa Shunsho

Medium

Color woodblock print; aiban

Dimensions

32.5 × 28 cm (12 13/16 × 11 in.)

Classification

woodblock print

Department

Arts of Asia

Museum

Art Institute of Chicago

Accession Number

34884

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo Japan, Katsukawa Shunsho (1726–1792), a master of ukiyo woodblock prints, captured the drama of Kabuki theater in striking aiban-format print from around 1781. Titled *The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawaunojo III as the Seijuro (right) and Onatsu (left, it depicts a tender elopement scene—"Michiyuki Hiyoku no Kiku-cho" (Chrysanthemum-and-Butterfly Lovebirds)—from the play *Kabuki no Hana Bandai Soga*, performed at Tokyo's Ichimura Theater. Shunsho's precise lines and bold colors bring the stars to life, showcasing Monnosuke II's dashing Seijuro ...

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