Scene From a Drama, Ichimura Kamezo as Hirano-ya Tokubei

Art Historical Context

Step into the lively world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868) with this captivating woodblock print by Torii Kiyomasu I, a master of the Torii school renowned for yakusha-e, or actor portraits. Titled *Scene From a Drama, Ichimura Kamezo as Hirano-ya Tokubei* (ca. 1748), it depicts the famous kabuki actor Ichimura Kamezo in the role of Hirano-ya Tokubei, a merchant character from a popular theatrical narrative. During the Edo era, kabuki theater was a cultural phenomenon in urban centers like Edo (modern Tokyo), blending drama, music, and spectacle to entertain diverse audiences. Printed with ink and color on paper, this intimate ukiyo-e work—measuring just 12 1/32 x 5 5/8 inches—showcases the Torii school's signature bold lines, vibrant hues, and dynamic poses that brought stage performers to life off the kabuki boards. Woodblock printing allowed for affordable, mass-produced art, making theater stars accessible to everyday people and preserving fleeting dramatic moments. The print's focus on actors, including elements suggesting both male and female roles (common in all-male kabuki casts), highlights the era's theatrical innovation and gender fluidity on stage. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1918, this gem from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art department offers a window into Japan's "floating world" of entertainment, where art and performance intertwined to reflect society's passions.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyomasu I · 1696–1716

Torii Kiyomasu I was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist working in the early eighteenth century, closely associated with the Torii school, one of the most important lineages in the history of Japanese woodblock printmaking. The Torii school was founded by Torii Kiyonobu, and Kiyomasu I is believed to have been either his son or a close pupil — the precise family relationship remains a matter of scholarly d...