Who painted Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75?

Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 was painted by Utagawa Kunihide in 1838.

Where can I see Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75?

Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75?

Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75

Utagawa Kunihide , 1838

Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 is a print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Kunihide. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1838 by the ukiyo‑e artist Utagawa Kunihide, this woodblock print depicts a dignified portrait of the celebrated kabuki actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V at the age of seventy‑five. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑nineteenth‑century Japanese memorial portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is seated, dressed in a dark blue kimono with exaggerated, wide sleeves, and holds a folding fan in one hand and a beaded cord in the other. His expression is solemn, rendered with stark black outlines and a subtle wash of red on the cheeks, suggesting reverence and the gravity of a commemorative tribute.

Technique & Style

Kunihide employed the traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock method, using bold sumi ink for contours and limited color accents to highlight facial features. The background is largely empty, allowing the sitter to dominate the composition, while vertical Japanese characters in black and red ink occupy the margins, a typical device in memorial prints to convey poetic or eulogistic text.

History & Provenance

The portrait was produced shortly after the actor’s death, a common practice for honoring notable cultural figures in Edo‑period Japan. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, joining a broader assemblage of Japanese prints that illustrate the period’s artistic and theatrical traditions.

Context

Memorial portraits, or shōgi-e, were frequently commissioned to celebrate the lives of prominent actors, poets, and officials. The inclusion of a poem or tribute text alongside the image reflects the close relationship between visual art and literary homage in Japanese commemorative customs of the time.