The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo (Danjuro V) as Banzui Chobei in the Play Gozen-gakari Sumo Soga, Performed at the Kawarazaki Theater in the Second Month, 1793 c. 1793

This woodblock print, *The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo (Danjuro V) as Banzui Chobei in the Play Gozen-gakari Sumo Soga*, by Katsukawa Shun'ei, depicts the famous kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo, in character as the samurai Banzui Chobei. The print, which is an example of the *yakusha-e* genre (actor prints), portrays Ebizo in a moment of dramatic intensity from the play *Gozen-gakari Sumo Soga*, which was performed at the Kawarazaki Theater in Edo (Tokyo) in 1793. The artist's precise depiction of Ebizo's costume and stance captures the energy and theatricality of the kabuki performance. This print is a testament to the popularity of kabuki theater in Edo-period Japan, and its influence on the visual arts.