The Actor Nakamura Nakazo I as Ippei (?) in the Play Koi Nyobo Somewake Tazuna (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eighth Month, 1778 (?) c. 1778

This ukiyo-e woodblock print, "The Actor Nakamura Nakazo I as Ippei (?) in the Play Koi Nyobo Somewake Tazuna (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eighth Month, 1778 (?)", depicts the famous kabuki actor Nakamura Nakazo I in a dramatic pose, as he portrays the character Ippei in a play. The work is attributed to Katsukawa Shunkō, a renowned artist of the Edo period, who specialized in depicting actors and theatrical scenes. The print, like many ukiyo-e prints, utilizes vibrant colors, dynamic lines and exaggerated features to capture the emotion and excitement of a theatrical performance.