Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Torii Matasuke
- Date:
- 1860, 3rd lunar month
- Medium:
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 36.5 × 24.1 cm
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Description
This early 1860 print portrays the actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV in the role of Torii Matasuke, a character from one of the theatrical cycles popular in Edo-period kabuki. Kodanji IV was one of the great actors of the final Edo period, known for his specialty in supernatural and evil roles. The Torii gate imagery in the print's tags may connect to a scene set at a shrine, where the theatrical and the sacred intersect in the complex world of kabuki drama. The print dates to Yoshitoshi's earliest independent work.
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Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Torii Matasuke was created by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年) in 1860, 3rd lunar month.
Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Torii Matasuke depicts temples & shrines, kabuki, and torii gates.
Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Torii Matasuke measures 36.5 × 24.1 cm (Oban format).