The Third Matsumoto Koshiro in the Role of Matsuomaru in “Sugawara”

Description

Matsumoto Kōshirō III appears as Matsuomaru in Sugawara, bringing a named dramatic character into the focused space of Katsukawa Shunshō’s actor print. The actor plants his feet in a broad stance, wearing checked and patterned robes above striped legwear. A pale background keeps the body’s arrangement clear, giving the role its force through the relationship between planted balance and the rich surfaces of the costume.

Dated to the summer of 1768, the nishiki-e work uses ink and color on paper. A theatrical role exists through a sequence of actions, but the print gives it a point of lasting concentration. Shunshō’s image allows Kōshirō’s association with Matsuomaru to remain visible beyond the occasion of performance. Its interest lies in that encounter between story and person, where the character’s represented presence is inseparable from the actor’s interpretation.

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