The Fifth Ichikawa Danjuro as a Kago Bearer Standing Near a Mile Post
ca. 1783–84
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
12 7/16 x 5 7/8 in. (31.6 x 14.9 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
JP350
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan, Katsukawa Shunshō'sThe Fifth Ichikawa Danjō as a Kago Standing Near a Mile Post (ca. 1783–84) captures the of kabuki superstar Ichikawa Danjūrō V. This woodblock print (nishiki-e) portrays the actor in the humble role of a kago bearer—a sedan chair carrier—poised near a roadside mile post, blending everyday life with theatrical flair. Shunō, a leading ukiyo-e master renowned for his yakusha-e (actor prints), skillfully renders Danjūrō's expressive face and dynamic pose, highlighting the star's versatility in portraying aragoto (rough, heroic) roles. N...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792