The Actor Yoshizawa Ayame II as Hotoke Gozen in the play "Onna Monji Heike Monogatari," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eleventh month, 1748

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Japanese kabuki theater with this striking woodblock print by Torii Kiyonobu. Created in 1748, it captures the renowned onnagata actor Yoshizawa Ayame II in the role of Hotoke Gozen the play *Onna Monji Heike Monogatari*, performed at Edo's Nakamura Theater. As part of the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"—these yakusha-e (actor prints) celebrated the stars of kabuki, blending drama, fashion, and fleeting beauty from everyday life. Torii Kiyonobu II, from the esteemed Torii school of printmakers, specialized in bold, dynamic portraits that brought theater to the masses. This hosoban-format print, narrow and handheld at just 30.5 × 14 cm, employs the benizuri-e technique: a rose-red outline filled with subtle greens and yellows for an early form of color printing. Affordable and mass-produced, it democratized art, allowing fans to own a piece of the performance long after the curtain fell. Yoshizawa Ayame II's graceful pose and elaborate costume evoke the tragic elegance of the Heike tale, a cornerstone of Japanese literature. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print highlights kabuki's cultural zenith in Edo-period Japan, where theater was a mirror to society’s passions and artistry.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyonobu II · 1702–1752

Japanese, ca. 1702–1752