The actors Kataoka Nizaemon VII as Iyo no Taro and Iwai Hanshiro IV as Kojoro-gitsune of Okazaki in the play "Seiwa Nidai Oyose Genji," performed at the Miyako Theater in the eleventh month, 1796

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with Utagawa Toyokuni's 1796 color woodblock print, *The actors Kataoka Niza VII as Iyo no Taro and Iwai Hansiro IV as Kojoro-gitsune of Okazaki*. This oban-sized yakusha-e (actor portrait) captures two kabuki stars in dynamic poses from the historical drama *Seiwa Nidai Oyose Genji*, at Kyoto's Miyako Theater in the eleventh lunar month. Toyokuni I, a master of the Utagawa school and pioneer of expressive actor prints, immortalizes their elaborate costumes and makeup, evoking the theatrical energy that enthralled audiences. Printed on a grand 37.4 × 25.2 cm sheet, this work exemplifies ukiyo-e—"pictures of the floating world"—a genre celebrating fleeting pleasures like kabuki theater. Kabuki, with its all-male performers, bombastic stories of samurai and spirits, and opulent visuals, was a cultural phenomenon. Toyokuni's precise lines and vivid colors, achieved through multiple carved woodblocks and meticulous inking, made such affordable art accessible to commoners, spreading theater fame far beyond the stage. Today, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print offers a window into 18th-century Japan's pop culture, blending artistry and entertainment in a single, striking image.

About the Artist

Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835

Japanese, 1777–1835