The Actor 2nd Nakamura Sukegoro as a Robber

Description

In Nakamura Sukegorō II as a Robber, Katsukawa Shunshō gives the actor a wide crouching stance on a porch-like floor. Pale legs emerge beneath a short, ornate robe, while a raised arm and weapon emphasize the body’s muscular action. A railing organizes the background, making the angled figure stand out against the setting’s steadier lines.

Dated 1774, the work is an ink-and-color woodblock print from Edo-period Japan. Its title supplies the character type without securely naming an entire play or episode. Shunshō preserves the performer within that limited but meaningful identification, allowing appearance and role to sustain the image. The portrait offers a direct encounter with a theatrical persona while leaving the surrounding story open rather than filling it with an uncertain explanation.

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