The actors Onoe Kikugoro III, Onoe Matsutake III, and Iwai Kumesaburo II

Designed by Utagawa Toyokuni in 1820, this Edo [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) print presents three of the era's most celebrated actors in a single composition: Onoe Kikugoro III, Onoe Matsutake III, and Iwai Kumesaburo II. The grouping demonstrates the late Toyokuni's command of multi-figure [yakusha-e](/glossary/yakusha-e), in which the relationships among performers are carefully balanced through pose, costume, and the negotiation of facial likenesses. Such ensemble portraits were prized by Edo print buyers, who could follow the careers of their favorite stars not only as soloists but as members of the wider theatrical community.