About this artwork
This is Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V as the Monk Wantetsu, made by Katsukawa Shunsho sometime in the late 18th century. It's a woodblock print, a process where each color you see is carved into a separate block, inked, and then pressed onto paper. Consider the amount of labor involved. Someone had to design the image, transfer it, carve the blocks, and then print each impression. This wasn't just art; it was a whole industry. Woodblock prints like this one were relatively affordable, a form of mass media. They brought images of famous actors, like Ichikawa Danjūrō V, into the homes of ordinary people. The quality of line speaks to the carver’s skill, and the flat expanses of color suggest a kind of graphic sensibility. In this print, Shunsho has captured not just the actor's likeness, but also something of his dramatic persona. The woodblock medium, with its capacity for bold lines and flat colors, was perfectly suited to the task. Looking at this print, we can appreciate how materials, making, and context all come together to create meaning, blurring the lines between fine art and popular culture.
Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V as the Monk Wantetsu Possibly 1778
Artwork details
- Medium
- print, ink, woodblock-print
- Dimensions
- 11 7/8 × 5 9/16 in. (30.2 × 14.2 cm) (image, hosoban)
- Location
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Copyright
- Public Domain
Tags
portrait
ink drawing
ink painting
asian-art
ukiyo-e
japan
figuration
ink
linocut print
woodblock-print
Comments
Left sheet of a diptych related to the play Date nishiki tsui no yumitori (A Dandyish Brocade: Opposing Warriors), performed at the Morita Theater in the 11th lunar month 1778. Succeeding his father, Ichikawa Danjūrō V (1741-1806) became the head of the prominent Ichikawa lineage of actors in 1757. By the 1770s he was arguably the most celebrated actor of all time. His heyday coincided with the golden age of Kabuki in the city of Edo (today's Tokyo). He excelled in a wide variety of roles ranging from robust men to women, and print designers were never tired of depicting him. Here he is shown portraying Wantetsu, a corrupt monk. His grimacing expression and wild hair convey the menacing nature of the character.
About this artwork
This is Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V as the Monk Wantetsu, made by Katsukawa Shunsho sometime in the late 18th century. It's a woodblock print, a process where each color you see is carved into a separate block, inked, and then pressed onto paper. Consider the amount of labor involved. Someone had to design the image, transfer it, carve the blocks, and then print each impression. This wasn't just art; it was a whole industry. Woodblock prints like this one were relatively affordable, a form of mass media. They brought images of famous actors, like Ichikawa Danjūrō V, into the homes of ordinary people. The quality of line speaks to the carver’s skill, and the flat expanses of color suggest a kind of graphic sensibility. In this print, Shunsho has captured not just the actor's likeness, but also something of his dramatic persona. The woodblock medium, with its capacity for bold lines and flat colors, was perfectly suited to the task. Looking at this print, we can appreciate how materials, making, and context all come together to create meaning, blurring the lines between fine art and popular culture.
Comments
Left sheet of a diptych related to the play Date nishiki tsui no yumitori (A Dandyish Brocade: Opposing Warriors), performed at the Morita Theater in the 11th lunar month 1778. Succeeding his father, Ichikawa Danjūrō V (1741-1806) became the head of the prominent Ichikawa lineage of actors in 1757. By the 1770s he was arguably the most celebrated actor of all time. His heyday coincided with the golden age of Kabuki in the city of Edo (today's Tokyo). He excelled in a wide variety of roles ranging from robust men to women, and print designers were never tired of depicting him. Here he is shown portraying Wantetsu, a corrupt monk. His grimacing expression and wild hair convey the menacing nature of the character.
