The First Nakamura Tomijuro as an Oiran Standing in a Room

Description

Nakamura Tomijūrō I appears as an oiran standing in a room, bringing the role of a high-ranking courtesan into an interior setting. The tall figure wears a dark upper robe above a long trailing hem, with one hand held behind the waist. A small fixture stands to the left, while the garment’s extension gives the courtesan role a spacious and carefully presented bearing.

Made in 1771, the nishiki-e print uses ink and color on paper. Its interest lies in the meeting of the performer’s recognizable identity and the elaborate social role he embodies. The image does not claim to portray an actual courtesan named Tomijūrō. Instead, Katsukawa Shunshō preserves an assumed character whose appearance has been shaped for the stage, allowing the relationship between actor, costume and setting to remain central to the encounter.

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