Artwork
浮絵 「紋尽名古屋曽我」|Perpsective View (uki-e) of a Kabuki Theatre, with a Performance of The Crest Patterns of the Soga Brothers and Nagoya Sanza (Mon-zukushi Nagoya Soga)
浮絵 「紋尽名古屋曽我」|Perpsective View (uki-e) of a Kabuki Theatre, with a Performance of The Crest Patterns of the Soga Brothers and Nagoya Sanza (Mon-zukushi Nagoya Soga) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Okumura Masanobu. It dates from 1748 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, created by Okumura Masanobu in 1748, depicts a lively scene from a Kabuki theater performance. Held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it showcases the artist's skill in capturing the energy of a crowded theater.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a packed Kabuki theater with a stage featuring a dramatic scene of two men fighting, accompanied by a floating figure. The audience is engaged, with some standing and reacting to the performance, highlighting the dynamic interaction between the actors and the viewers.
Technique & Style
Masanobu employed a range of lines to convey depth and movement, drawing the viewer into the scene. The use of perspective, characteristic of uki-e style, creates a sense of realism and immersion, while the detailed depiction of the crowd and theater architecture adds to the overall sense of vitality.
Artist & collection
Artist
Okumura Masanobu lived in Edo (now Tokyo) when the city was a flashy, fast-growing hub of theater, gossip, and new ideas.
Kabuki Play Kusazuribiki from the Tales of Soga (Soga monogatari)
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『閨の雛形』 正月|Plate from the Erotic Book Mounds of Dyed Colors: A Pattern Book for the Boudoir (Someiro no yama neya no hinagata), First Month
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見立『平家物語』 紅葉焚図|Parody of Palace Servants Heating Sake over a Fire of Maple Leaves
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Scene Adapted from the play The Treasury of Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)
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一遍上人絵伝「遊行上人縁起絵」 断簡|A Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, Kyoto, from the Illustrated Biography of the Monk Ippen and His Disciple Ta'a (Yugyō Shōnin engi-e)
Chushingura: Act IV (from the series Perspective Pictures for The Treasure House of Loyalty)
喜多川歌麿画 御所車見立て行列|Courtesans Imitating a Court Procession
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Tea House Beside the Kamo River in Kyoto
Wife, Wealth, Sons, and a Salary