Key value factors: As self-carved and self-printed works, sosaku-hanga value is tied to the artist's reputation and edition size. Larger formats, earlier editions, and historically significant works command the highest prices.
Titled with a reference to Katsukawa Shun'ei, the Edo-period ukiyo-e artist famous for his kabuki actor portraits and sumo wrestler prints, this woodblock print by Honjo Masahiko was cataloged at the Art Institute of Chicago. The Shun'ei reference likely derives from the cataloging context or a thematic connection to the Katsukawa school tradition. Shun'ei (1762-1819) was a pupil of Katsukawa Shunsho and a contemporary of Sharaku, producing dynamic half-length actor portraits that influenced later generations of theatrical print artists. Honjo's engagement with this lineage, whether through subject matter or stylistic reference, connects modern printmaking practice with one of ukiyo-e's most celebrated specialized genres.
Katsukawa Shun'ei was created by Honjo Masahiko (本庄正彦).
Katsukawa Shun'ei depicts figures, kabuki, and portraits.
