Arashi Rikan II as Kizu Kansuke and Nakayama Bunshichi III as Hayashi Sanzemon from the Kabuki Play "Eight Views of the Kizu River by Boating Song"
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see two actors on stage in a Kabuki play. They are dressed in traditional Japanese clothing. The actors are Arashi Rikan II and Nakayama Bunshichi III, playing specific roles. This painting is interesting because it shows a moment from a play. The play was written in 1778 and performed in 1829. It was also the last performance for one of the actors, who got sick and died soon after. You can learn more about Japanese art by looking up the museum that has this painting, The Cleveland Museum of Art.
