Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
$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 [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print depicts Ichikawa Shocho II performing the female role of Oman. Shocho was an onnagata, a male actor specializing in female roles, and his delicate features made him convincing in parts requiring beauty and grace. Oman appears in several kabuki plays as a devoted young woman, often caught in tragic romantic circumstances. Toyonari renders the actor-as-character with the soft lines and gentle color palette appropriate to a feminine portrayal, contrasting sharply with the bold, angular treatment he applied to warrior and villain roles. The print records both a specific performance and the broader onnagata tradition that remained central to kabuki even as Taisho-era audiences debated its relevance. Toyonari's careful attention to the layers of kimono and the styling of the wig documents the visual craft that onnagata performance required.
1919
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Woodblock print
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with nikawa and embossing
歌舞伎
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1955
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1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman was created by Yamamura Toyonari (山村豊成).
Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman depicts kabuki.