Onoe Kikugorō I as Izumi no Saburō in the Play Snowflakes: Plum Blossoms Kaomise
1769
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
1769
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Onoe Kikugorō I as Izumi no Saburō in the Play Snowflakes: Plum Blossoms Kaomise is a 1769 by Ippitsusai Bunchō, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a single actor on stage, dressed in a bold black-and-white robe with a fierce scowl and one hand gripping a sword. This is a *kabuki* actor print from Japan’s Edo period. The artist didn’t just show the character—he froze the exact moment when the actor struck a dramatic pose, called a *mie*. These prints were like theater posters, sold to fans who wanted a souvenir of their favorite stars. To see more of this style, look up *japan, edo period (1615–1868)*.
The play Snowflakes: Plum Blossom Kaomise was performed at the Ichimura Theater in 1769.
The character's name, Izumi, appears on the right sleeve of the actor's robe.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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