Shunsho, Katsukawa

Browse Katsukawa Shunshō giclée prints featuring kabuki actors, courtesans, and Japanese figure subjects. Each product page lists its available materials and sizes. Our guide to giclée prints explains the paper and canvas options.

Explore Shunshō by Subject

Start with these selected works, or browse the full collection below.

Kabuki Actors and Theatrical Roles

• Sawamura Sōjūrō III and Segawa Kikunojō III
• Ichikawa Danjūrō V in a Shibaraku Role

Courtesans and Female Figures

• Courtesan Reading a Letter
• Courtesan and Her Attendant

Poetry and Literary Subjects

• Two Young Women on a Verandah Watching Plovers
• Autumn Evening — A Poem by Saigyō

About Katsukawa Shunshō

Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792) was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the Edo period and a leading artist of the Katsukawa school of ukiyo-e. He is particularly known for yakusha-e, prints depicting kabuki actors in costume or performance.

Shunsho is best known for his work as a printmaker, and he is particularly associated with the development of the ukiyo-e genre, a style of woodblock printing that depicted scenes from the “floating world” of Edo’s pleasure districts. His prints often depicted actors, courtesans, and other members of the city’s vibrant cultural scene, and he was known for his skill in capturing the gestures and expressions of his subjects. Shunsho’s work was characterized by its bold use of color and its attention to detail, and he is considered one of the most important artists of the ukiyo-e tradition.

Today, Shunsho’s prints continue to be admired for their beauty, sophistication, and cultural significance. His work played an important role in shaping the ukiyo-e genre, and he is recognized as one of the most important artists of the Edo period. His legacy as an innovator in the history of Japanese art remains secure, and his prints continue to be collected and exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.