Nakamura Kichiemon ll as Benkei in the play
- Date:
- 1988
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Description
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.
More Prints by Tsuruya Kokei
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Ichikawa Danshiro IV as Akushichibyoe Kagekiyo
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More Kabuki Prints
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Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.