Description
Ichikawa Yaozō II appears as a samurai in this print by Katsukawa Shunshō, bringing a warrior identity into the world of theatrical performance. The standing actor brings a hand toward the neck or front of the patterned robe before a horizontal fence. The small gesture interrupts the costume’s broader forms, giving the character a particular point of attention within an otherwise composed presence.
Probably made in 1773, the nishiki-e woodblock print uses ink and color on paper. Shunshō preserves the actor’s assumed identity without treating it as evidence of Yaozō’s actual social position. The image’s appeal lies in the act of transformation, where a performer can make the outward presence of a warrior convincing to an audience. It keeps that theatrical encounter available to close attention, carrying the association between actor and character beyond its original moment.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.
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