The Fifth Ichikawa Danjuro as a Man Standing
ca. 1775
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
12 1/2 x 5 13/16 in. (31.8 x 14.8 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
JP416
Tags
Art Historical Context
Katsukawa Shunshō *The Fifth Ichikawa Danjūrō as a Man Standing* (ca. 1775) is a striking woodblock print (nishiki-e) from Edo period (16151868), capturing the of kabuki theater. The Fifth Ichikawa Danjūr, from one of kabuki's most illustrious acting lineages, poses dramatically in a role that highlights his commanding presence. Measuring just 12½ x 5⅞ inches, this intimate portrait exemplifies the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, which celebrated everyday pleasures like theater amid urban Edo's vibrant culture. Shunshō, a master of the Katsukawa school, specialized in ya...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792