Description
In this paired portrait, Katsukawa Shunshō presents Sawamura Sōjūrō III and Ichikawa Monnosuke II as bald monk figures. One sits or crouches low in front while the other stands behind, creating a clear contrast of height within a spare pale setting. Their dark and light robes make the relationship between the two bodies legible without an elaborate surrounding scene.
Dated 1791, this ink-and-color woodblock print belongs to the later part of Shunshō’s career. The two names keep the human subjects distinct even as the monk roles connect them. Such a pairing allows theatrical identity to emerge through relationship as well as individual appearance. The print preserves that shared performance world, inviting attention to how named actors become recognizable as other people without losing the personal identities attached to their stage careers.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.