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勝川春章画五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V

Katsukawa Shunshō

1774

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Actor

Dominant colour

勝川春章画五代目市川團十郎|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V is a 1774 ink by Katsukawa Shunshō, a Romanticism work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Katsukawa Shunshō
When & what style?: 1774 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows a man in a bold kabuki costume. He’s wearing a tall, woven hat, a patterned robe with black and red swirls, and a sword at his side. His face is painted in the style of a kabuki actor, with strong lines and a serious expression. The artist used sharp outlines and flat colors to make the figure stand out. Notice how the robe’s patterns look almost like clouds—this was a common way to show movement in Japanese prints. If you like this, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.