The Actors Ogino Isaburo as Soga no Goro and Sawamura Sojuro I as Kudo no Suketsune

Maker(s)
Artist: Torii Kiyomasu II (1706?-1763?)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1732
Medium
Woodblock print; ink, hand-applied color, brass and embossing on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 31.9 x 15.7 cm (12 9/16 x 6 3/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
The Anne van Biema Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S2004.3.4
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
actor, Anne van Biema collection, axe, battle, Edo period (1615 - 1868), hosoban, Japan, kabuki, theater, ukiyo-e, yakusha-e
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Fight scenes are a highlight of many kabuki plays, especially jidaimono, period plays based on historical events. Here the villain Kudo Suketsune, played by the actor Sawamura Sojuro I, brandishes a giant ax as he attacks the young hero Soga no Goro, played by Ogino Isaburo. The exaggerated, dancelike poses struck by the actors are choreographed to heighten the visual effect of the struggle. The story of the Soga brothers' vendetta against the uncle who had killed their father was first made popular in puppet plays by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. By the 1730s, Soga plays were regularly included in New Year kabuki performances. The powerful linear expression and the stylized figures in this print are characteristic of the dynamic style of actor prints that became a specialty of the Torii school of artists.

Published References
  • Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 3, pp. 58-59.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use