The Fourth Matsumoto Koshiro as an Outlaw Looking at a Wooden Ninsogaki

Description

In Katsukawa Shunshō’s portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as an outlaw, the actor crouches low beside a red fence-like structure. Maple leaves hang above the pale, richly patterned robe, setting the bowed figure within a compact outdoor space. The contrast between the low body and the upright architectural forms makes the moment feel watchful and contained.

Dated around 1779–1783, the ink-and-color woodblock print connects a named actor to a particular stage situation. Its subject is not simply an outlaw, but Kōshirō performing that identity. Shunshō turns the encounter with the notice into a concentrated dramatic moment, allowing an everyday object to carry the pressure of discovery. The image preserves the actor’s presence while leaving the wider course of the play outside the frame.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.