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三代目沢村宗十郎のくまの順礼十作、実は平重盛|The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III as the Kumano Pilgrim Jissaku, actually Taira no Shigemori

Katsukawa Shunshō

1785

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Actor

Dominant colour

三代目沢村宗十郎のくまの順礼十作、実は平重盛|The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III as the Kumano Pilgrim Jissaku, actually Taira no Shigemori is a 1785 ink by Katsukawa Shunshō, a Romanticism work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Katsukawa Shunshō
When & what style?: 1785 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows a man in a long robe and hat, holding a fan and a walking stick. His outfit has bold patterns of circles and lines, mostly in soft pinks and blues. The background is simple—just a hint of trees and a road, with no extra details. The actor’s face looks calm but focused, like he’s deep in thought. The print is part of a set of three, and it’s made using woodblock printing, a common Japanese method. Next, check out the technique: cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.