Gyokuryūtei (Ryūsai) Shigeharu
1830
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
玉柳亭重春画 三代目尾上菊五郎・三代目中村歌右衛門 『義経千本桜』|Kabuki Actors Onoe Kikugorō III as Shizuka Gozen and Nakamura Utaemon III as Kitsune Tadanobu, in the play Yoshitsune senbon zakura (The Thousand Cherry Trees of Yoshitsune) is a 1830 ink by Gyokuryūtei (Ryūsai) Shigeharu, a Romanticism work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This painting shows two actors in Kabuki-style portraits. The person on the left wears a blue-and-white wig, a red face paint stripe, and a warrior’s costume. Their face looks intense, almost angry. The person on the right has a blue wig with flowers, a white face, and holds a fan. Their expression is calm but focused. The bright colors and bold lines make the actors stand out against the patterned backgrounds. The left figure’s face paint and fierce look suggest a dramatic role, while the right figure’s fan and flowers hint at a different character. Next, look up actor to see how Kabuki performers used makeup and costumes to show emotions.
Gyokuryūtei Shigeharu spent most of his life in Osaka, where he carved woodblock prints of city life—street scenes, actors, and courtesans—just as the port town was getting louder and busier.
See the richer artist page
