Artwork

東洲斎写楽画二世坂東三津五郎の石井源蔵『花菖蒲文禄曽我』|Bandō Mitsugorō II as Ishii Genzō in the Play "Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga"

東洲斎写楽画二世坂東三津五郎の石井源蔵『花菖蒲文禄曽我』|Bandō Mitsugorō II as Ishii Genzō in the Play "Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga" is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Tōshūsai Sharaku. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

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You see a man in a fierce pose, gripping a sword. His face is sharp, almost exaggerated, eyes wide, mouth tight. He wears a patterned robe and a headband, standing against a plain gray background.

This is an actor playing a role in an old Japanese play. Sharaku made these prints for only ten months in 1794, then vanished. No one knows why. The white mica powder in the ink makes the background shimmer, like a stage under lights.

If you like bold faces, look up men, swords, actors, japan, Bandō Mitsugorō II for more prints like this.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts the kabuki actor Bandō Mitsugorō II in the role of Ishii Genzō from the play "Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga." Rendered as a yakusha-e (actor print) and specifically an ōkubi-e (large-head portrait), the image focuses on the performer's upper body and expressive face. The subject is shown holding a sword, a prop integral to his character within the drama.

As a piece of ukiyo-e art created in 1794, the print captures a specific theatrical moment, freezing the actor's dramatic persona and costume details for the viewer.

Technique & Style

Created in 1794, this work is a woodblock print executed in the ukiyo-e tradition, specifically classified as a nishiki-e (brocade print) and yakusha-e (actor print). The medium consists of ink and color applied to paper, with the addition of white mica to enhance the surface texture and visual depth. Stylistically, the piece is an ōkubi-e, a format characterized by a large-headed portrait that emphasizes the facial expression and upper torso of the subject.

The composition focuses on the actor Bandō Mitsugorō II in the role of Ishii Genzō, capturing a dramatic moment from the play "Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga". The handling of the print relies on the precise layering of pigments and the strategic use of mica to define the formal qualities of the actor's costume and presence.

Overview

This woodblock print, executed around 1794, shows the kabuki actor Bandō Mitsugorō II in the role of Ishii Genzō from the play “Hana‑ayame Bunroku Soga.” The image captures the performer in a dramatic stance, clutching a sword, rendered with ink, color and a dusting of white mica on paper.

History & Provenance

Created during Sharaku’s brief but prolific period of activity in 1794, the print belongs to a series of actor portraits that appeared for only ten months before the artist vanished from the record. The reasons for Sharaku’s sudden disappearance remain a matter of scholarly speculation.

Context

The portrait reflects the Edo‑period fascination with kabuki stars, whose likenesses were widely circulated as popular prints. Bandō Mitsugorō II was a leading figure of his time, and his portrayal by Sharaku contributes to our understanding of contemporary theatrical culture and its visual representation.

Legacy

Although Sharaku’s career was short, his striking, psychologically acute portraits have influenced subsequent generations of Japanese and Western artists. The use of mica to evoke a luminous stage backdrop continues to be noted as an innovative element of his printmaking.