Early 20thC Japanese Woodblock Prints Toshusai Sharaku Set 9 Lot Kabuki Actor Portraits Antique

Details

Description

Toshusai Sharaku one of Japan’s most mysterious artists
The Edo period ukiyo-e master was celebrated for his dynamic woodblock prints … Read more Toshusai Sharaku one of Japan’s most mysterious artists
The Edo period ukiyo-e master was celebrated for his dynamic woodblock prints of kabuki actors
東洲斎写楽 浮世絵 代表9作シリーズⅡ "Toshusai Sharaku Ukiyo-e Masterpiece SeriesⅡ" Japonism Art Vintage - Paper - Toshusai Sharaku (act. 1794-95) - Japan - Shōwa period (1926-1989)
Photo 3: The characters in the image read 東洲齋寫樂画 (Tōshūsai Sharaku ga), which means "Painted by Tōshūsai Sharaku."
Below the signature, there is a round censor seal containing the kanji 極 (kiwame), meaning "approved."
Character Breakdown
東洲齋 (Tōshūsai): The artist's studio/surname.
寫樂 (Sharaku): The artist's given name, a famous master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints active in the late 18th century.
画 (ga): Meaning "painted by" or "drawn by."
極 (kiwame): A standard official inspection seal used on Japanese prints from roughly 1790 to 1842 to show the artwork passed government censorship.
During his extremely brief ten-month career as an ukiyo-e woodblock print designer from 1794 to 1795, Toshusai Sharaku created some of Japan’s most memorable and luxurious artworks. Yet more than 200 years later, little remains known about the artist himself. What is perhaps most shocking about Sharaku’s artistic success is that he had no formal training and nevertheless managed to procure one of the most prestigious publishers in Japan. The fact that his true name and the dates of his birth and death are still debated only adds to Sharaku’s mystique.
one of Sharaku’s most iconic and desirable prints Features the illustrious actor Ichikawa Komazo III as Shiga Daishichi in the play Katakiuchi noriyai banashi (A medley of tales of revenge), the work embodies Sharaku’s mastery of yakusha-e, portraits of kabuki actors in the ukiyo-e style. Ukiyo-e flourished in Japan from the 17th to 19th centuries, and kabuki actors were amongst the genre’s most abundant subjects during the 18th century in particular. Both the play and the actor Komazo were well known at the time, as kabuki actors were idolised by the public.

Sharaku published over 145 works over a period of approximately ten months, from May 1794 (Kansei 6) to January 1795 (Kansei 7) (Kansei 6 included an intercalary November).

The 28 large-format mica-printed head portraits of actors, published in May 1795, made full use of deformation and exaggerated facial features such as wrinkles around the eyes, aquiline noses, and underbites, boldly and skillfully portraying the individual personalities of each actor. The dynamic expressions and poses were also unprecedented, making them unique works.
One theory as to why these prints are so rare today is that Tsutaya only released small editions. Their fine printing, colouring and embellishments mirror those of deluxe commissions of surimono — bespoke prints created as gifts or to commemorate a special occasion — and poetry albums.

In the 19th century, ukiyo-e trends shifted to favour landscapes. Artists such as Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai dominated the market. Sharaku’s legacy as one of the last significant portrait print artists of the 18th century is evinced by his inclusion in the world’s finest museum collections. The offered depiction of Ichikawa Komazo III as Shiga Daishichi features in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the British Museum. While in modern-day Japanese society, kabuki no longer garners the same prestige it once did, the uncanny image of its fierce actors is deeply embedded in the world’s collective memory, thanks to artists like Sharaku.

■ Artist｜Toshusai Sharaku｜東洲斎写楽 (act. 1794-95)
■ Total number of works｜9 works
■ Publisher｜ Yuyudo Publishing｜悠々堂出版
■ Printing process｜The tesuri method (The woodblock print is carefully handcrafted by artisans one by one without the use of machinery. A traditional printing technique in which the designs carved on wood are hand-printed onto paper one color at a time.)
■ Brand｜Ukiyo-e
■ Country of origin｜Made in Japan
■ History｜Collection of japan's noble old families
■ Material｜Paper and Ink
■ Color｜Multi-Color
■ Original｜Limited edition
■ Style｜Woodblock prints
■ Size｜W9 x H13.1｜（inch｜Average size）
■ Produced by a highly reputable printmaking studio, these prints possess extremely high collectible value. See less