Japan, 1920s–1930s (after an original design from 1794)
This highly expressive portrait is a masterful modern edition of a famous design by the legendary and enigmatic artist Tōshūsai Sharaku. The print captures the actor Iwai Hanshirō IV performing the female role (onnagata) of Shigenoi in the kabuki play Koinyōbō Somewake Tazuna. Sharaku is renowned for his uncompromising, psychologically penetrating, and often mildly caricatured actor portraits, which completely defied the conventional ideals of beauty of his time. The original design dates to 1794. The present work is a high-quality, hand-printed master reproduction (fukukoku) from the early to mid-20th century. For this edition, master printers successfully recreated the original and highly demanding kira-zuri technique—the application of a dark mica dust background—which provides an incredibly luxurious and sculptural contrast to the actor's face and kimono.
