Artwork

歌川国升画五代目市川海老蔵「熊谷次郎直実」|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō V as Kumagai Jirō Naozane

歌川国升画五代目市川海老蔵「熊谷次郎直実」|Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō V as Kumagai Jirō Naozane is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Kunimasu. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 2011.144
Credit line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, in honor of James C. Y. Watt, 2011

About this work

Overview

Utagawa Kunimasu’s woodblock print, dated around 1849, portrays the celebrated Kabuki performer Ichikawa Ebizō V in the role of Kumagai Jirō Naozane. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies the vibrant portraiture typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century Japanese prints.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait captures the actor in a dramatic pose, his face rendered with stark white skin, dark hair, and a vivid red mouth. He dons a tall, dark wig accented by a white stripe, suggesting the heroic samurai character of Kumagai Jirō, a figure associated with loyalty and martial valor in Japanese folklore.

Technique & Style

Kunimasu employed the ukiyo‑e woodblock method, layering pigments to achieve bold contrasts: a pale complexion against a deep‑blue backdrop patterned with gold clouds. The artist’s signature appears as a small red seal in the upper left, a common practice that both authenticates the work and adds a decorative element.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1849, the print entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, reflecting the museum’s long‑standing interest in Japanese print culture. Its survival in good condition allows contemporary viewers to study the visual conventions of Kabuki portraiture during the late Edo period.

Context

During the late Edo era, Kabuki actors were frequent subjects of ukiyo‑e prints, which served both as promotional material and as collectibles for fans. This image situates Ichikawa Ebizō V within that commercial and artistic network, illustrating how theatrical fame was disseminated through popular visual media.