The Actor Ichikawa Komazo II as the Spirit of Lady Shiragiku in the Play Hatsu Midori Saiwai Soga, Performed at the Kawarazaki Theater in the Third Month, 1791

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period kabuki theater with this striking *hosoban* woodblock by Katsukawa Shun'e, created around 1791. The artwork captures kabuki actor Ichikawa Komō II in the role of the Spirit of Lady Shiragiku the play *Hatsu Midoriwai Soga*, at Tokyo's Kawarazaki Theater in the third lunar month. Measuring just 31.7 × 14 cm, its narrow format made it an affordable, portable souvenir for theater enthusiasts, showcasing the actor's dramatic pose and ethereal ghostly attire amid swirling robes and expressive features. Shun'ei, a master of the Katsukawa school within the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, excelled in *yakusha-e*—portraits of kabuki stars that blurred the line between performer and icon. These prints democratized theater culture in 18th-century Japan, allowing fans to own a piece of the spectacle long after the curtain fell. The color woodblock technique, involving multiple carved blocks inked in vibrant hues, highlights Shun'ei's skill in conveying movement and emotion, from the spirit's haunting gaze to the dynamic folds of fabric. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print offers a window into Japan's golden age of performance art, where supernatural tales like Lady Shiragiku's gripped audiences and immortalized actors as cultural heroes. A true gem for lovers of theater and printmaking!

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shun'ei · 1762–1819

Katsukawa Shun'ei (1762–1819) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who succeeded his master Katsukawa Shunshō as head of the Katsukawa school around 1800, continuing and advancing the school's innovations in kabuki actor portraiture. Born on December 13, 1762, into a landlord family with the surname Isoda, Shun'ei trained under Shunshō from his youth and became one of the most accomplished designers of y...