The Second Ichikawa Monnosuke in the role of Soga no Juro Sukenari
2nd month, 1785
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
10 31/32 x 5 1/2 in. (27.9 x 14 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1914
Accession Number
JP126
Tags
Art Historical Context
Katsukawa Shunshō *The Second Ichikawa Monnosuke in the role of Soga no Juro Sukari* (1785) is a striking woodblock print capturing a kabuki actor in a pivotal dramatic pose. The Second Ichikawa Monnos embodies Soga no Jūrō Sukenari, one of the vengeful Soga brothers a beloved Japanese tale of filial loyalty and revenge—a staple Edo-period theater that enthralled audiences with its intense swordplay and moral drama. Shunshō, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") school, specialized in yakusha-e, or actor portraits, bringing performers to life with remarkable realism and ex...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792