Who painted Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu?

Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu was painted by Katsukawa Shunzan in 1781.

Where can I see Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu?

Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu?

Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu

Katsukawa Shunzan , 1781

Onoe Matsusuke as Usui Sadamitsu is a print by the Romanticist artist Katsukawa Shunzan. It dates from 1781 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This print is one part of a triptych featuring three actors.

Accession no.: 1921.314.b
Credit line: Gift from J. H. Wade

About this work

Overview

This print is one part of a triptych featuring three actors. It depicts Onoe Matsusuke I as Usui Sadamitsu, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, legendary protectors of the historical figure Minamoto Yorimitsu.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows Usui Sadamitsu, identified by a house crest on his robe and a fan with the 'matsu' ideograph. He is part of a group representing the Shitennō, or Four Heavenly Kings, after Buddhist deities guarding the cardinal directions.

Technique & Style

The print is part of a triptych composition, indicating a multi-panel narrative or scene. The use of a house crest and a symbolic fan suggests a detailed, symbolic representation characteristic of Japanese ukiyo-e prints.

History & Provenance

The subject is related to Minamoto Yorimitsu, a historical figure from the early 11th century. The print is an example of ukiyo-e art, a genre that flourished in Japan from the 17th to 19th centuries.