SHIBARAKU doll

This print depicts a traditional doll representing the hero of Shibaraku, one of the most iconic aragoto kabuki plays in the Ichikawa Danjuro repertoire. The Shibaraku character is identified by his exaggerated costume: an enormous persimmon-colored (kaki-iro) hitatare robe with large white crests, oversized swords, and the bold red-and-white kumadori makeup of a righteous hero. Traditional Edo-style Shibaraku dolls replicate these theatrical conventions in miniature, serving as crafted objects associated with the Kanto puppet and doll tradition. This subject is atypical of Hasui's predominantly landscape-focused output, suggesting a commission or specialty publication. The flat, saturated colors of the doll's costume would suit woodblock printing's strengths in rendering bold graphic shapes and precise decorative pattern. Published by Watanabe Shozaburo.