Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IV as Sukeroku playing a game of kubiki (neck-pulling) with actors as Five Chivalrous Commoners by Attributed to Bunchō

Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IV as Sukeroku playing a game of kubiki (neck-pulling) with actors as Five Chivalrous Commoners 1768

hanging-scroll

toned paper

pasteup

water colours

japan

folk art

mural art

paste-up

hanging-scroll

tile art

spray can art

watercolour illustration

watercolor

This hanging scroll depicts the famous kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IV as Sukeroku, the protagonist of the popular play “Sukeroku,” in the act of playing a game of kubiki, or neck-pulling, with other actors. This comedic scene, attributed to the artist Bunchō, is a testament to the vitality of kabuki theatre in 18th-century Japan. The dynamic composition and expressive features of the characters capture the energy and humor of the theatrical performance, while the delicate brushwork and vibrant colors showcase the artistry of the Edo period.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

Related to the play "Ayatsuri kabuki ōgi" (Mastery of the Fan in Kabuki) performed at the Nakamura Theater in the seventh month of 1768. The five actors on the right are the Five Chivalrous Commoners that performed in one act of this play: Arashi Otohachi I (1711-1769) as Hotei Ichiemon, Matsumoto Kōshirō III (1741-1806) as Gokuin Sen'emon, Nakamura Sukegorō II (1745-1806) as Kaminari Shokurō, Ichikawa Komazō II (1737-1802) as Karigane Bunshichi, and Ichikawa Yaozō II (1735-1777) as An no Heibei. Originally attributed to Katsukawa Shunshō, the facial expressions of the actors as well as the date of painting make an attribution to Bunchō much more plausible.