The Actors Takinaka Hidematsu I and Sanogawa Ichimatsu I c. 1745

This woodblock print, "The Actors Takinaka Hidematsu I and Sanogawa Ichimatsu I," created by Torii Kiyonobu II in c. 1745, depicts two renowned kabuki actors of the Edo period. The actors are depicted in a theatrical setting, Takinaka Hidematsu I holding drumsticks and Sanogawa Ichimatsu I, a woman, standing with one hand raised. This piece showcases the dynamic and dramatic nature of kabuki, a popular form of Japanese theatre. The print exemplifies the ukiyo-e style, a genre of Japanese woodblock printing that flourished in the Edo period.