The Actors Kameya Jujiro I as Soga no Juro and Segawa Kikunojo I as Oiso no Tora in the play ”Hatsu Hikage Maizuru Soga," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the first month, 1737

Art Historical Context

This striking hand-colored woodblock print by Torii Kiyonobu II captures a memorable moment from the 1737 kabuki production “Hatsu Hikage Maizuru Soga” at Edo’s Nakamura Theater. It portrays actors Kameya Jujiro I as Soga no Juro and Segawa Kikunojo I as Oiso no Tora, two figures drawn from the beloved Soga brothers revenge tale that thrilled audiences throughout the Edo period. Created in the narrow hosoban format, the print served as both theatrical souvenir and visual record of the performance’s first-month run. Kiyonobu II belonged to the influential Torii school, which specialized in actor prints known as yakusha-e. The work employs the urushi-e technique, in which black ink was mixed with glue to produce a glossy, lacquer-like surface before delicate hand-coloring was added. Measuring just over twelve inches tall, the print’s intimate scale invites close viewing of the actors’ expressive poses and costumes, reflecting the vibrant theatrical culture of mid-eighteenth-century Japan. Such prints were immensely popular among kabuki fans, who collected them to relive favorite scenes. Today, this example in the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection offers a vivid window into the lively intersection of theater, fashion, and popular art during the Edo period.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyonobu II · 1702–1752

Japanese, ca. 1702–1752