Arashi Rikan II as Kizu Kansuke; Ichikawa Ebijuro II as Horiguchi Manzaemon
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows two men in a dramatic fight. One is crouched low, gripping a sword, his black-and-white armor crumpled like paper. The other stands tall, swinging a sword down, his blue-patterned robe bright against the dark background. Tall bamboo and a thatched roof loom behind them, while the ground is strewn with scattered leaves. Notice how the artist uses bold black outlines to define shapes, while the colors inside stay flat and bright. The contrast between the fighters’ dark armor and the light background makes them pop. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this painting’s lighting tricks work.
