The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro IV as the Wealthy Bumpkin from Yamato, Actually Magoemon of Ninokuchi Village (Yondai-me Matsumoto Koshiro no Yamato no Yabo Daijin, jitsuwa Ninokuchi-mura Magoemon)

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo (modern Tokyo), Tōshūsai Sharaku captured the dramatic essence of kabuki theater with this striking 1794 woodblock. It portrays the renowned actor Matsumoto Kōshirō IV in the role of the "Wealthy Bumpkin fromato," revealed as the cunning Magoemon ofokuchi Village—a comic yet sly character from a popular kabuki play. Sharaku, a mysterious artist active for just 10 months, produced around 150 such yakusha-e (actor prints), revolutionizing the genre with his unflinching realism and psychological depth. This hosoban-format nishiki-e, or "brocade picture," is a narrow half-sheet woodblock print (31.2 × 14.6 cm) renowned for its vivid colors achieved through multiple carved woodblocks and precise hand-rubbing techniques. Sharaku's signature style features oversized heads, bold outlines, and exaggerated expressions that pierce the actor's public persona, blending satire with artistry. Such prints were affordable souvenirs for theatergoers, democratizing kabuki culture during the Kansei era (1789–1801). Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this piece exemplifies ukiyo-e's golden age, offering a window into Japan's theatrical soul and Sharaku's enigmatic legacy as a master of human emotion.

About the Artist

Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794–1795

Tōshūsai Sharaku stands as one of the most enigmatic figures in Japanese art history, a ukiyo-e printmaker whose brilliant career blazed for just ten months from the summer of 1794 to early spring 1795. Active exclusively in Edo (modern Tokyo), he produced approximately 150 woodblock prints and sketches, primarily yakusha-e—intimate portraits of kabuki actors captured mid-performance. Published by...