写真楽屋鑑 2代目澤村 訥升|Sawamura Tosshō II (1838–86), from the series Mirror of Photographs Backstage (Shashin gakuya kagami - Sawamura Tosshō nisei)
1860
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1860
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This print shows a man in a dark, patterned robe holding a small object wrapped in cloth. His face is bold and serious, with a shaved head and a single braid. Bright red lanterns and a few simple props—like a bowl and a fan—sit on a low table in front of him. The text at the top is Japanese, likely naming the man and the play he’s in. This kind of print was meant to advertise theater performances back in the day. Look up Toyohara Kunichika to see more prints like this.
