「小早川高景　尾上芙雀」（三代目）|The Actor Onoe Fujaku III as Kobayakawa Takakage

Art Historical Context

Behold the vibrant woodblock print *The Actor Onoe Fuj III as Kobayakawaakage* by Seiyōsai Shunshi, created in the mid-1820s during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). This *yakusha-e* (actor portrait) captures Onoe Fujaku III, a celebrated kabuki performer of the third generation, embodying fierce samurai Kobayakawa Takakage historical figure from the turbulent Sengoku era, loyal retainer to the Mori clan.shi masterfully conveys the actor's dramatic intensity through exaggerated expressions and dynamic poses, hallmarks of kabuki theater that blurred the lines between stage and everyday fascination. Printed as a *nishiki-e*—a "brocade picture" in full color using ink and pigments on paper—this vertical *ōban* measures a generous 15⅜ × 10⅝ inches, the standard large format for ukiyo-e prints that made art accessible to the masses. The technique involved multiple woodblocks for layering vivid hues, achieving a luxurious, almost three-dimensional effect that revolutionized Japanese printmaking from the 1760s onward. In Edo-period culture, such prints fueled the "floating world" of entertainment, immortalizing stars like Fujaku III and reflecting societal obsessions with theater, fashion, and heroism. A generous gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2020, this work invites us to step into a bygone era of spectacle and artistry.