1826
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Actor Nakamura Utaemon III (Shikan) as Ishikawa Goemon at the Battle of Okehazama (Okehazama Gassen) is a 1826 by Shunkōsai Hokushū, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This print shows a theater actor in a bold, exaggerated face-paint style. The character wears a tall, red wig with black accents and a black robe with white patterns. One hand holds a curved sword, while the other rests on a fan or scroll. The background is simple, with a hint of a building or curtain. The face-paint and costume suggest this is a kabuki actor playing a warrior. Kabuki often used bright colors and dramatic makeup to show emotions. Want to see more? Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Shunkōsai Hokushū spent his life in Osaka, where the city’s lively theater scene shaped his work.
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