Actor Onoe Matsusuke I as a Mendicant Monk in “Courtesan: Kerria Roses at Ide” (“Keisei Ide no yamabuki”)

Art Historical Context

This color woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunkō, created around 1787, portrays the actor Onoe Matsusuke I in the role of a mendicant monk from the kabuki play “Courtesan: Kerria Roses at Ide.” Produced in the hosoban format, which measures just 31.5 × 13.9 cm, the work exemplifies the ukiyo-e tradition of capturing fleeting moments from the theater. Shunkō, a leading figure in the Katsukawa school, specialized in actor portraits that conveyed the energy and emotion of live performance through bold lines and expressive poses. In late eighteenth-century Edo Japan, such prints served as both souvenirs and promotional tools for kabuki, a popular form of drama blending music, dance, and stylized acting. Affordable and widely distributed, they allowed audiences to connect with celebrated performers beyond the stage. The print’s subject—a monk character in a tale involving courtesans and seasonal imagery like kerria roses—reflects the dramatic themes that captivated urban viewers during this vibrant period of Japanese cultural life. As part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Arts of Asia collection, this work highlights the artistic techniques of color woodblock printing, where multiple blocks created layered hues and details. It offers modern visitors a window into the interplay of art, theater, and everyday entertainment in Edo-period society.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunkо̄ · 1743–1812

Katsukawa Shunkō I (1743–1812), born Denjiro Kiyokawa in Edo (modern Tokyo), emerged as a pivotal figure in ukiyo-e woodblock printing. His early life remains sparsely documented, but by the late 1760s, he had begun illustrating books such as *Talks about Debut Plays* (*Kaomise shibai banashi*, 1766). Shunkō studied under the master Katsukawa Shunshō, founder and leader of the Katsukawa school, an...