Artwork

勝川春好画 七代目片岡仁左衛門 五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V

勝川春好画    七代目片岡仁左衛門 五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V, by Katsukawa Shunkō, ink, 1789
勝川春好画    七代目片岡仁左衛門 五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V, by Katsukawa Shunkō, ink, 1789

勝川春好画 七代目片岡仁左衛門 五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Katsukawa Shunkō. It dates from 1789 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This woodblock print, created around 1789, is one half of a diptych depicting a kabuki actor.

About this work

Overview

This woodblock print, created around 1789, is one half of a diptych depicting a kabuki actor. Executed in ink and color on paper, it is a representative work by Katsukawa Shunkō.

Subject & Meaning

The print portrays a kabuki actor, likely Ichikawa Danjūrō V, standing on stage in a striped robe, holding a fan and striking a pose. The bold facial makeup and stern expression convey the actor's character and role.

Technique & Style

The artist's use of sharp, precise strokes is evident in the rendering of the robe's stripes and bamboo leaves. The bold, colorful facial makeup is characteristic of kabuki theater, while the simple background emphasizes the actor's performance.

History & Provenance

The print is now held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a testament to its enduring significance in the history of Japanese art.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Katsukawa Shunkō

Artist

Katsukawa Shunkō

Katsukawa Shunkō spent his life in Edo, where crowded theaters and teahouses buzzed around him.