Nakamura Kichiemon ll as Benkei in the play
- Date:
- 1988
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Key value factors: For living or recently deceased artists, limited edition size and gallery representation drive value. Signed and numbered prints from smaller editions are most desirable.
This 1988 woodblock print depicts Nakamura Kichiemon II as Benkei, the warrior-monk role that demands the full range of a kabuki actor's physical and emotional resources. Where the February 1988 ink-and-color portrait may focus on a different moment in the performance, this print captures its own distinct aspect of Kichiemon II's Benkei — perhaps the thunderous entrance (tobikomi), the confrontation at the barrier, or the famous roppo exit in which Benkei bounds offstage in exaggerated strides. Kokei's sustained interest in the same actor performing the same role across multiple prints reflects the richness of live performance, where no two shows are identical.
歌舞伎
Woodblock print
1955
Woodblock print
1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Nakamura Kichiemon ll as Benkei in the play was created by Tsuruya Kokei (弦屋光溪) in 1988.
Nakamura Kichiemon ll as Benkei in the play depicts kabuki and warriors.
