The Third Otani Hiroemon as an Otokodate Seated Upon an Inverted Tub

Description

Ōtani Hiroemon III portrays an otokodate seated on an inverted tub marked with a star-like floral motif. His bent torso, pale upper clothing and striped lower robe make the ordinary support part of a distinctive arrangement. Katsukawa Shunshō gives the character a specific setting, while the named actor remains the person responsible for its theatrical presence.

Katsukawa Shunshō’s color woodblock print dates to 1768 or 1769. Its ink-and-color medium preserves a stage subject in a form suited to repeated looking, where the relationship between actor, character and practical object can remain clear. The work’s appeal comes from that combination, making a named performer’s portrayal engaging without requiring an invented account of the larger drama around him.

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