Bando Hikosaburo III Holding a Hand Pupper
1774
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1774
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a man in a long, flowing robe with bold patterns on the sleeves and hem. He’s holding a small puppet shaped like a horse on his shoulder, while his other hand rests on a fan. The background is plain, keeping all focus on him. The puppet looks like a horse’s head, but it’s actually a hand puppet—likely used in Japanese theater. The artist’s signature is in Japanese characters at the bottom. Next, check out Katsukawa Shunshō to see how he painted other actors and performers.
