The Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Taira no Tomomori

Object Details

• Artist

  Ryusai Shigeharu 柳斎重春 (1803-1853)

• Publisher

  Wataya Kihei 綿屋喜兵衛 (ca. 1809-1885)

• Label

  One of the most famous plays in the kabuki repertoire is Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees (Yoshitsune sembon zakura). Originally written for the puppet theater, the play liberally rearranges history in its account of the tragic rivalry between the Taira and Minamoto warrior families in the late twelfth century. In the play, after the defeat of the Taira forces in the Battle of Dannoura (1185), Taira no Tomomori (1151-1185), who committed suicide in the historic battle, lives on and disguises himself as his own ghost to attack Yoshitsune's ship. He is stopped by the power of the Buddhist monk, Benkei, a loyal follower of Yoshitsune. Utaemon wears the blue makeup that is customary for ghost roles. With arrows piercing his armor, he makes his final stand. The fine composition and printing in this image gives it a high artistic quality and finesse.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints (March 23 to October 6, 2024)

  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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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• 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

  Ryusai, Shigeharu, Wataya, Kihei

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

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

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints