Kataoka Nizaemon XIII as Ishikawa Goemon in the play Sanmon Gosan no Kiri

This print captures Kataoka Nizaemon XIII (1903–1994) in the 'Sanmon' scene from 'Sanmon Gosan no Kiri,' in which the outlaw Ishikawa Goemon surveys cherry blossoms from atop the great gate of Nanzen-ji temple, declaring 'Zekkei kana!' — 'What a magnificent view!' Kokei's [yakusha-e](/glossary/yakusha-e) typically renders the actor in ōkubi-e (large-head) format, isolating the painted face against the unprinted ganpi ground so that the kumadori makeup — the red and black lines marking aragoto-influenced roles — carries the design. Goemon's distinctive shaven-front coiffure and embroidered robe, often incorporating chrysanthemum or paulownia motifs, would likely be rendered with selective application of mica and gofun to suggest the textile's metallic threads. Produced during Kokei's Kabuki-za residency (1978–2000), this work belongs to his ongoing project of documenting actors of his generation in roles associated with their careers, recorded at the deliberate pace of a hand-printer rather than the volume of an Edo-period workshop.