The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro IV as An no Heibei in the Play Edo no Fuji Wakayagi Soga, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the First Month, 1789

Art Historical Context

Step into the bustling world of 18th-century Edo theater with this vibrant woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunkō a leading artist of the Katsukawa school renowned for his yakusha-e—portraits of kabuki actors. Titled *The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro as An no Heibei in the Play Edo no Wakayagi Soga*, created around 1789, it depicts celebrated onnagata (female role specialist) Matsumoto Kōshirō IV in his dramatic role during a performance at the Nakamura Theater in the first month of the year. Shunkō's masterful lines capture the actor's expressive pose and costume, bringing the fleeting excitement of live kabuki to life. This hosoban-format print—one narrow sheet (32.3 × 14.5 cm) from a larger pentaptych—highlights the ingenuity of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, a technique that allowed affordable, colorful reproductions for everyday fans. Produced through collaborative carving and printing by specialists, it showcases Edo-period Japan's thriving popular culture, where theater stars like Kōshirō IV were cultural icons. Held in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, it exemplifies how these prints preserved the glamour of kabuki, blending artistry with social commentary on urban life. Fun fact: Kabuki plays like *Wakayagi Soga* drew massive crowds, and such prints served as souvenirs, posters, and even fashion guides, immortalizing the era's theatrical splendor.

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...