Listening to the Sound of Bouncing Ball (Matsumoto Kōshirō IV) by Katsukawa Shunchō

Listening to the Sound of Bouncing Ball (Matsumoto Kōshirō IV) 1787 - 1795

print, ink, woodblock-print

portrait

print

asian-art

ukiyo-e

japan

figuration

ink

woodblock-print

"Listening to the Sound of Bouncing Ball (Matsumoto Kōshirō IV)" is a woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunchō, created between 1787 and 1795. This *hosoban* print, which is a vertical format popular for depicting actors, shows the kabuki actor Matsumoto Kōshirō IV in the role of a young man listening to the sound of a bouncing ball. The print is characterized by the vibrant colors and detailed lines typical of the *ukiyo-e* style, capturing the beauty of a fleeting moment in the life of a celebrated kabuki performer. The inclusion of a *kagami-ita* or "mirror board" - a thin, reflective surface used for bouncing the ball - further enhances the visual narrative of the print.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

The growing popularity of Kabuki and the rising fame of its actors precipitated public interest in all aspects of actors' lives. Print designers responded by depicting actors engaged in activities outside the theater. Shunshø, the founder of the Katsukawa School, pioneered this genre, but it was also a specialty of his pupil, Shunchø. Here, Shunchø renders Matsumoto Køshirø IV (1737-1802) walking down a street with his attendant. The poem in the upper right corner, composed by the actor himself, explains the scene: Cherry flowers are in bloom behind the fencefrom which the sound of a bouncing ball is coming.How tasteful it is!