The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as a Kyokaku

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with Katsukawa Shunkō'sThe Actor Ichikawa Monnos II as a Kyokaku* (ca. 177), a stunning woodblock print from thekiyo-e tradition. This narrow hosoban-format piece (12 7/8 x 5 7/8 in.) captures the kabuki star Ichikawa Monnosuke II in dynamic role of a *kyokaku*—a gallant, streetwise hero often depicted as a chivalrous gambler or protector of the weak. Shunkō, a leading figure in the Katsukawa school, masterfully renders Monnosuke's expressive face, flowing robes, and poised stance, bringing the theater's energy to life on paper. Produced during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), when kabuki flourished in urban centers like Edo (modern Tokyo), this print exemplifies *yakusha-e* (actor portraits). Affordable and mass-produced via woodblock techniques—involving carved blocks for color and ink layers—these works democratized celebrity culture, allowing fans to own a piece of the "floating world" of entertainment. Shunkō's realistic style, with bold lines and subtle gradations (*bokashi*), set him apart, influencing later masters like Utamaro and Hokusai. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department, this gift from the Estate of Samuel Isham (1914) invites us to appreciate how art blurred lines between stage and street, celebrating the charisma of performers who embodied societal ideals and fantasies.

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...