The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro V, Probably as Ise no Saburo Disguised as Sanjo Uemon, Leader of a Robber Gang, in Part Two of the Play Fude-hajime Kanjincho (First Calligraphy of the New Year: Kanjincho [The Subscription List]), Performed at the Nakamura Theater from the Fifteenth Day of the First Month, 1784

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of18th-century Japanese theater with this striking woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunkō a master of the ukiyo-e tradition. Titled *The Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V, Probably as Ise no Saburoguised as Sanjō Uemon*, it captures the famed kabuki star in a dramatic role from Part Two of *Fude-hajime Kanjinchō* (First Calligraphy of the New: Kanjinchō), performed at the Theater on the fifteenth day of the first month 1784. Shunkō's bold lines and expressive poses highlight Danjūrō's commanding presence as the leader of a robber gang, embodying the intensity of kabuki's larger-than-life characters. This print, likely the right sheet of a triptych in the narrow hosoban format (29 × 13.2 cm), reflects the booming popularity of yakusha-e—actor portraits that brought theater stars into everyday life during Japan's Edo period. Woodblock printing allowed affordable, colorful reproductions, with intricate carving and layering of colors to convey movement and emotion. Kanjinchō, a tale of loyalty and disguise drawn from the epic *Heike Monogatari*, was a staple of the repertoire, and prints like this immortalized performances for fans unable to attend. Shunkō's work from the Katsukawa school advanced realistic facial expressions and dynamic compositions, influencing later ukiyo-e giants like Utamaro and Hokusai. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this piece offers a window into how art and entertainment intertwined, celebrating the cultural fervor of old Edo.

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...