Who painted 相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu)?

相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu) was painted by Utagawa Kunisada in 1832.

Where can I see 相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu)?

相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu) is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu)?

相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu)

Utagawa Kunisada , 1832

相模屋亭主|Actor as Master of Sagamiya (Sagamiya teishu) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Kunisada. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Utagawa Kunisada’s 1832 woodblock print, titled *Actor as Master of Sagamiya*, forms part of a three‑panel series.

Utagawa Kunisada’s 1832 woodblock print, titled *Actor as Master of Sagamiya*, forms part of a three‑panel series. Executed with ink and color on paper, the image portrays a domestic interior where a man in a striped kimono gestures toward a young girl in a patterned brown kimono. The composition includes a blue‑walled backdrop, a window, and a low table bearing a yellow teapot and a food box, all rendered in the vivid palette characteristic of early‑19th‑century ukiyo‑e.

Subject & Meaning

The scene suggests a moment of instruction or conversation, with the adult’s extended right arm and attentive expression indicating he is addressing the child, who looks up toward him. The inclusion of Japanese characters on the wall and the domestic setting points to a narrative drawn from contemporary theater or popular literature, where the figure of the Sagamiya master would have been recognizable to Edo‑period audiences.

Technique & Style

Kunisada employs the multicolored woodblock technique (nishiki-e), layering separate carved blocks for each hue to achieve a rich, saturated effect. The print’s bold outlines and flat areas of color are balanced by delicate line work that defines the textiles’ patterns and the interior’s decorative motifs. The use of a blue background with contrasting white and black designs highlights the figures and underscores the artist’s skill in compositional balance.

History & Provenance

Created in 1832, the work belongs to a triptych that circulated among the burgeoning market for actor portraits and genre scenes in Edo. It entered the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved as an example of Kunisada’s prolific output during the late Edo period, reflecting both the commercial demand for such prints and the artist’s role in shaping popular visual culture.