The Second Nakamura Sukegoro as an Otokodate Seated on a Wooden Bench

Description

Nakamura Sukegorō II sits on a wooden bench in the role of an otokodate, bringing an urban gallant into a setting of ordinary, tangible furniture. The seated figure occupies a place beside a red railing, with a boldly striped robe falling over the knees. Its strong pattern gives weight to the body’s repose, making a modest act of sitting feel individual and theatrically self-possessed.

Created around 1771, the nishiki-e woodblock print uses ink and color on paper. Its interest lies in the combination of a named actor, a distinctive social role and a simple setting. The figure is not an anonymous record of everyday life; Sukegorō embodies the character for the stage. Katsukawa Shunshō preserves that particular association, making the image engaging through a performed identity grounded in the modest action of sitting.

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