The Actors Arashi Ryuzo II and Ichikawa Komazo III, from a pentaptych of eleven actors celebrating the festival of the shrine of the Soga brothers

Art Historical Context

Torii Kiyonaga, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e tradition during Japan's Edo period, masterfully captured the vibrant world of kabuki theater in this 1788 color woodblock print. Titled *The Actors Arashi Ryuz II and Ichikawa Kom III*, it forms the rightmost sheet of a rare pentaptych hosoban—a narrow, vertical format (31.1 × 13.8 cm) that, when assembled with four others, depicts eleven actors joyfully celebrating the festival at the shrine of the Soga brothers. This legendary duo from kabuki lore avenged their father's murder, making their shrine a site of popular pilgrimage and theatrical homage. Kiyonaga's Torii school heritage shines in his dynamic yakusha-e (actor prints), blending precise woodblock techniques with elegant, lifelike poses. Multiple carved blocks allowed for rich, layered colors and subtle gradations, revolutionizing affordable art for everyday Edoites. The narrow hosoban format, ideal for album pages or fans, highlights the actors' expressive faces and flowing robes, immersing viewers in the "floating world" of theater and festivity. Held in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print exemplifies late 18th-century Japan's cultural fervor for kabuki stars like Arashi Ryuzo II and Ichikawa Komazo III, whose fame fueled fan frenzy akin to modern celebrities. A window into Edo entertainment, it invites us to revel in the drama and devotion of bygone festivals.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815

Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...