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DiaporamaThe actor Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin
toshusai sharaku (1794 – 1795)
Discover Tōshūsai Sharaku, a mysterious ukiyo-e master known for his strikingly realistic kabuki actor portraits. Explore his brief but impactful career & legacy!
The undisputed master of close-up actor portraits was the artist Toshusai Sharaku, whose brief career spanned a ten-month period in 1794 and 1795. Despite his popularity, Sharaku’s true identity is still unknown. This print is one of several by Sharaku featuring moments from a Kabuki play in which two sisters exact revenge on the villain who killed their father, a masterless samurai. Here the artist shows the actor Onoe Matsusuke I in the role of the father, a man impoverished by illness. The unkempt hairstyle, shadow-rimmed eyes, and anxious, hunched-over pose convey his reduced state. Printed with luxurious and shiny mica, the print’s dark background is a feature of many of Sharaku’s finest portraits.
About this artwork
- Title: The actor Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin
- Artist: toshusai sharaku
- Year: 1794
- Format: Portrait
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Creative period: Late Medieval
- Corpus context: unique portrait series , social commentary art
- Keywords: toshusai sharaku art , japanese drama prints , japanese fine art
- Perceived brightness: balanced
- Topics: sharaku art , woodblock print , japanese drama
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