The Actor Sawamura Sojuro I as Usami no Saburo in the play "Yukun Yoroi Soga," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the first month, 1736 1736

"The Actor Sawamura Sojuro I as Usami no Saburo in the play 'Yukun Yoroi Soga'" is a 1736 woodblock print (ukiyo-e) by Torii Kiyomasu II. This "yakusha-e" (actor print) depicts the famous kabuki actor Sawamura Sojuro I as Usami no Saburo in the play "Yukun Yoroi Soga." This print, now in the Art Institute of Chicago, captures the dynamism and extravagance of kabuki theater, with its bold lines and vivid colors. It highlights the popularity of kabuki actors in Edo-period Japan, with the iconic Sawamura Sojuro I and his role in "Yukun Yoroi Soga" being immortalized in this piece.