The Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Kyogoku no Takumi

Object Details

• Artist

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

• Label

  Nakamura Utaemon III appears here in a portrait on a fan. He casts a menacing glare as the villain Kyogoku no Takumi, who murders the fencing master Ichimisai after the master defeats him. His elder daughter, Osono, and her fiancé, who is a disciple of Ichimisai, avenge Ichimisai's death. In a tour de force of acting skill, Utaemon played all three roles in a performance that was intended to mark his retirement from acting in 1825. He did not retire after all, but continued to act until his death in 1838. This print is one of several portraits on fans that were published for Utaemon's retirement performance. This print is inscribed, "The performance of a lifetime, hit play" (Isse ichidai atari kyogen). Embossing, a technique often employed in surimono, creates a realistic impression of the ribs of a fan.

• 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

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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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

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

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints