Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75
1838
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Utagawa Kunihide
Utagawa Kunihide (1820–1850) was a Japanese artist.
See the richer artist page1838
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 is a 1838 by Utagawa Kunihide, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This print shows a seated man in a dark blue robe with wide sleeves, holding a fan and a beaded cord. His face is serious, with bold black outlines and a touch of red on his cheeks. The background is mostly empty except for vertical Japanese text in black and red ink. The text is likely a poem or tribute, which was common in memorial portraits. This style was used to honor important figures in Japanese culture. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more works like this.
This kabuki actor was known for playing bad guys. His fans would have collected this portrait as a memento following his death in May 1838.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Utagawa Kunihide (1820–1850) was a Japanese artist.
See the richer artist page
