The actors Segawa Kikunojo III (R) as the courtesan Katsuragi and Sawamura Sojuro III (L) as Nagoya Sanza Motoharu
1794
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
38.7 × 25.5 cm (15 1/4 × 10 1/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
86923
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Japanese kabuki theater with Tōshūsai Sharaku's *The actors Segawa Kikunojo III (R) as the courtesan Katsuragi Sawamura Sojuro (L) as Nagoyaza Motoharu* (1794). This color woodblock print captures two kabuki stars in dynamic roles from a popular play, showcasing Segawa's graceful portrayal of the courtesan Katsuragi on the right and Sawamura's intense depiction of the warrior Nagoya Sanza Motoharu on the left. Produced during the Edo period, it exemplifies ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated fleeting pleasures like theater and entertainment. Sharaku, a mysterious artist active for just two years around 1794-95, revolutionized actor portraits with his bold, psychological style. Unlike the idealized beauty of contemporaries, his prints feature exaggerated facial features, piercing gazes, and raw emotional intensity, as if freezing a live performance mid-drama. This oban-sized woodblock (38.7 × 25.5 cm)—a large format prized by collectors—highlights the meticulous craftsmanship of the medium: intricate carving, vibrant dyes, and precise registration to layer colors flawlessly. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print underscores kabuki's cultural dominance in urban Japan, where fans idolized actors as celebrities. Sharaku's enigmatic legacy endures, with fewer than 150 known works making pieces like this rare treasures that bridge art and theater history.
About the Artist
Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794–1795
Tōshūsai Sharaku stands as one of the most enigmatic figures in Japanese art history, a ukiyo-e printmaker whose brilliant career blazed for just ten months from the summer of 1794 to early spring 1795. Active exclusively in Edo (modern Tokyo), he produced approximately 150 woodblock prints and sketches, primarily yakusha-e—intimate portraits of kabuki actors captured mid-performance. Published by...