Arashi Rikan II as Danshichi Kurōbei in "Mirror of Naniwa: The Summer Festival"
1832
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1832
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Arashi Rikan II as Danshichi Kurōbei in "Mirror of Naniwa: The Summer Festival" is a 1832 by Shunbaisai Hokuei, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man in a blue-and-white robe stands on one leg, arm raised like he’s about to strike. His face is twisted in anger, veins popping on his neck. The background is plain yellow. This is a Kabuki actor playing Danshichi, a tough guy who defends the weak. The pose is called *mie*—a frozen moment of high drama. The play is still performed today, with the same famous murder scene. If you like bold lines and theater, look up *ukiyo-e*, the Japanese woodblock print style.
