見立三国志 牛若の源治|Ichimura Kakitsu IV as Ushiwaka no Genji in the Kabuki play A Parody of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Mitate Sangokushi-Ushiwaka no Genji)
4th month, 1868
Medium
One sheet of a triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
14 x 9 1/2 in. (35.6 x 24.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lincoln Kirstein, 1960
Accession Number
JP3357
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant woodblock print by Toyohara Kunichika captures Ichimura Kakitsu IV in the role of Ushiwaka no Genji, from the 1868 kabuki play *A Parody of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. Created as one sheet of a triptych, it exemplifies the ukiyo-e tradition of actor portraits (*yakusha-e*), which flourished in Edo-period Japan. Kunichika, active during the late 19th century, specialized in dynamic kabuki scenes with bold colors and expressive details that brought theatrical performances to life for a broad audience. The work reflects the cultural importance of kabuki theater as popular en...
About the Artist
Toyohara Kunichika · 1835–1900
Japanese, 1835–1900