The First Nakamura Tomijuro as an Outlaw
ca. 1775
Medium
One sheet of a diptych or triptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
12 x 5 7/8 in. (30.5 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
JP413
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with *The First Nakamura Tomijūrō as an Outlaw*, a stunning woodblock print by master ukiyo-e artist Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792). Created around 1775, this single sheet from a diptych or triptych—measuring just 12 x 5⅞ inches—captures the legendary kabuki actor Nakamura Tomijūrō I in a dramatic outlaw role. Rendered in nishiki-e (brocade print) technique with ink and vibrant colors on paper, it showcases Shunshō's expertise in yakusha-e, or actor portraits, which immortalized theater stars for everyday fans. Shunshō, a pivotal figure in the Ka...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792