Shin Nagao - Onoe Matsusuke IV in an unidentified role

A companion to the hunter portrait of Chosuke, this print shows Onoe Matsusuke IV in a role whose specific play and character have been lost from the documentary record. The Shin Nagao series designation indicates that the two prints were issued together as part of a single project, a format that recalls the multi-print publications of Edo-period [yakusha-e](/glossary/yakusha-e) issued to coincide with theatrical runs. The composition likely follows Yamamura's standard approach: a tight crop on the actor against a decorative ground, careful kimono pattern registration, and [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) modeling around the cheek and jawline. Gaps in identification of this kind are common in early twentieth-century Japanese theatrical prints, since they were originally collected by knowledgeable kabuki audiences who recognised roles on sight and did not always require titling. Despite the unknown role, the print preserves a record of a Taisho-era performance and contributes to the broader documentary function that [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) yakusha-e served alongside their aesthetic ambitions.