勝川春好画　三代目瀬川菊之丞・二代目市川門之助|Kabuki Actors Segawa Kikunojō III and Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Two Courtesans Celebrating the New Year

Art Historical Context

This vibrant woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunkō created around the 1790s Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), captures a joyful New Year's celebration featuring two renowned Kabuki actors: Seg Kikunojō III Ichikawa Monnosuke. Dressed as elegant courtesans amid bamboo decorations—a symbol of prosperity and good fortune—the figures exude festive cheer. Shunkō, a master of the Katsukawa school, specialized in yakusha-e (actor prints), immortalizing the stars of Kabuki theater in dynamic, expressive poses. Ukiyo-e prints like this one, produced through a meticulous collaborative process of carving, printing, and hand-coloring on paper, brought the "floating world" of urban pleasures—entertainment, fashion, and fleeting beauty—to everyday viewers. Kabuki actors, often performing female roles as onnagata, blurred gender lines with elaborate costumes and makeup, reflecting Edo society's fascination with performance and sensuality. Measuring about 15 x 10 inches, this intimate format made such art accessible and collectible. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department from the Henry L. Phillips Collection, the print highlights Shunkō's skill in capturing subtle expressions and rich colors, offering a window into 18th-century Japanese culture where theater and holidays intertwined in exuberant harmony.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunkō · 1743–1812

Katsukawa Shunkō I (1743–1812) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who pioneered the ōkubi-e (large-head) portrait format in kabuki actor prints and served as possibly the first student of Katsukawa Shunshō, the founder of the influential Katsukawa school. Born in 1743, Shunkō spent his entire life in Edo (modern Tokyo), working as both a painter and ukiyo-e printmaker specializing in yakusha-e (actor p...