The Actor Nakamura Takesaburo I as Kewaizaka no Shosho (?)

Around 1718, Kiyonobu produced this hand-colored hosoban urushi-e depicting Nakamura Takesaburo I in the role of Kewaizaka no Shosho, a female part drawn from the Soga revenge cycle that was a staple of Edo kabuki repertoire. Urushi-e (lacquer prints) were a refinement of the tan-e technique in which a glossy black ink, sometimes mixed with brass filings to produce a metallic sheen, replaced or supplemented the orange tan pigment, giving the print a richer, more polished appearance. The technique was developed in Kiyonobu's later career as Edo printmakers experimented with ways to make their inexpensive sheets more visually appealing. The role of Kewaizaka no Shosho was a female love-interest in the Soga play cycle, and Nakamura Takesaburo's performance of it is documented in theatrical chronicles of the period. From the Art Institute of Chicago.