The Actor Arashi Kichisaburo II as the Oil Merchant Aburaya Yohei

Object Details

• Artist

  Shunkosai Hokushu 春好斎北洲 (fl. ca. 1802-1832)

• Label

  In the intimate world of Osaka kabuki, rivalries like the one between the actor Arashi Kichisaburo II (1769-1821), shown in this print, and Nakamura Utaemon III, continued for years, dominating Osaka kabuki from about 1805 to 1821. Fostered by theater owners, print publishers, and artists, such rivalries heightened interest in the actors and their performances. Here Kichisaburo plays Aburaya Yohei, a sexy, roguish character. The actor himself was a handsome, charismatic ladies' man-the perfect choice for this character. In contrast to actor prints produced in Edo, Osaka prints like this one reflect the more realistic style of acting that was characteristic of Osaka kabuki. This print is the left half of a diptych, the right half of which depicts the actor Kanou Minshi in the role of the courtesan Azuma.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection (September 15, 2002 to January 9, 2003)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  The Anne van Biema Collection

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Shunkosai, Hokushu

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Theater, Yakusha-e, Art, Actors and actresses, Oban, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Anne van Biema collection, Portraits, Ukiyo-e, Business

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints