Actor Sanokawa Ichimatsu as Young Samurai riding on Horse-back 1711 - 1785

This print at the Metropolitan Museum was created by Ishikawa Toyonobu. It depicts the actor Sanokawa Ichimatsu as a young samurai, rendered in delicate lines and subdued colours. The composition is dominated by the figure of Ichimatsu and his horse, filling the frame almost entirely. The artist employs a limited palette of muted greens and creams, accentuating the flat, graphic quality of the print. The patterned kimono, with its stylized floral motifs, contrasts with the plain background, drawing the viewer's eye to the actor's serene face. The horse, depicted with minimal detail, serves as a structural support for the composition, its form echoing the gentle curve of the rider's posture. In Toyonobu’s elegant portrayal of Ichimatsu, we see not merely a depiction of a celebrity, but a sophisticated interplay of form and surface. The print invites us to consider the ways in which visual representation constructs identity and meaning, engaging with the cultural codes and artistic conventions of its time.