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四代目市川団十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IV

Katsukawa Shunshō

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism Classical Antiquity Actor

Dominant colour

四代目市川団十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IV is a 12 ink by Katsukawa Shunshō, a Romanticism work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Katsukawa Shunshō
When & what style?: 12 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows a man in a dramatic pose, dressed in colorful kabuki armor. His face is painted with exaggerated features—big eyes and a fierce expression—while he holds a curved sword in one hand and a fan in the other. The background is simple, with bold blocks of color framing the scene. Notice how the artist uses sharp lines and flat colors to make the figure stand out. The armor details, like the decorative fans and armor plates, look almost like they’re cut from paper. Look up kabuki actor next to see how this style connects to real theater performances.