Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō by Shunkōsai Hokushū

Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō c. 1823

0:00

print

asian-art

ukiyo-e

japan

figuration

genre-painting

Dimensions: 14 1/2 × 10 in. (36.83 × 25.4 cm) (sheet, each, approx., vertical ōban)

This woodblock print by Shunkōsai Hokushū depicts the actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō and other figures from Japanese theater. The sword, prominently displayed, is not merely a weapon; it symbolizes power, honor, and sacrifice. Consider the motif of the raised sword, a universal gesture found across cultures from ancient Roman gladiators to medieval knights. It embodies readiness, a moment of decision fraught with danger and potential glory. The sword's glint mirrors the intensity of the actor's gaze, engaging us in the psychological drama unfolding. This image also plays on our deepest fears and desires, mirroring the emotional turbulence that defines the human experience. The symbolic language transcends time, reappearing in countless forms, revealing a collective memory imprinted in our minds. The sword evolves from a tool of war to a symbol of justice, its form shifting but its essence enduring.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

⋮

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.