Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō by Shunkōsai Hokushū

Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō c. 1823

print

pastel soft colours

print

traditional media

joyful generate happy emotion

retro 'vintage design

japan

flat colour

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

cartoon carciture

cartoon theme

watercolor

This triptych woodblock print, *Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō*, was created in 1823 by Shunkōsai Hokushū, a prominent Japanese artist of the ukiyo-e genre. The print depicts scenes from a kabuki play, featuring the renowned actor Nakamura Utaemon III in the role of Mino no Shōkurō, showcasing the dramatic artistry of kabuki theatre. Hokushū's masterful use of color and line adds to the dynamic portrayal of the characters and their theatrical actions. These prints offer a glimpse into the vibrant and captivating world of Edo-period Japanese theatre.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Related to the play "Keisei Ōmonguchi" けいせい廓大門 (The Great Gate of the Licensed Quarter), performed at the Kado Theater, Osaka, in the 1st month of 1823 (Bunsei 6). This unusual two-tier triptych (a set of three works meant to be shown together) depicts a scene in the play Keisei Ōmonguchi (The Great Gate of the Licensed Quarter). Instead of the typical configuration with all three sheets lined up horizontally, the third sheet is placed on top of the other two. An arrangement like this was rarely used but was ideal for plays in which the setting was a multilevel architectural space like this one. The actor on the upper floor writes a message to the two actors below by pouring ink from above. Hokushū was the most active and most important designer of Kabuki prints in Osaka in the early 1800s. He developed the specific style of actor portrait known as kamigata-e, which became characteristic for the region of Osaka and Kyoto.