The Eighth Morita Kanya in the Role of Oboshi Yuranosuke
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
12 x 5 1/2 in. (30.5 x 14.0 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1918
Accession Number
JP310
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–8), Katsukawa Shun'ei (1751–1820), a master of the Katsukawa school, captured the dramatic flair of kabuki theater in this 1787 woodblock print Titled *The Eighth Morita K in the Role of Oboshi Yuranosuke*, it portrays the famed actor Morita Kanya VIII as the loyal samurai leader from the legendary *Chūshingura* tale—the story of the 47 ronin, embodying bushido ideals of honor and revenge. Shun'ei's yakusha-e (actor prints) celebrated these stars, making theater accessible to the masses through affordable, colorful reproductions. This ukiyo-e mas...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shun'ei 勝川春英 (Japanese) · 1762 –1819
Japanese, 1762–1819