Actor KICHIEMON in the role of TOJURO
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- wbp
$2,000–$15,000. Kabuki actor portraits are highly collectible. Good actor or bijin-ga prints: $5,000–$10,000. Key value factors: Yamamura's Art Deco-influenced designs are particularly sought after. Kabuki actor prints and bold modern compositions command the highest prices.
This woodblock print features the celebrated actor Nakamura Kichiemon I performing the role of Tojuro, likely referencing the legendary Edo-period actor Sakata Tojuro whose name became synonymous with romantic lead roles in kabuki. Toyonari presents Kichiemon with an idealized bearing suited to the wagoto (soft-style) tradition associated with Tojuro roles. The [oban](/glossary/oban) composition isolates the figure with minimal background detail, a format Toyonari favored for directing attention to facial expression and costume. Kichiemon I was arguably the most important kabuki actor of the Taisho and early Showa periods, and Toyonari returned to him as a subject repeatedly. This print joins a body of work that collectively maps Kichiemon's range across the classical repertoire.
1919
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1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with nikawa and embossing
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Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Actor KICHIEMON in the role of TOJURO was created by Yamamura Toyonari (山村豊成).
Actor KICHIEMON in the role of TOJURO was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Actor KICHIEMON in the role of TOJURO depicts kabuki.