Scholarly Notes on This Ukiyo-e Print
This description is based on the original scholarly notes supervised by Yoshida Eiji, a leading authority on ukiyo e research and Sharaku studies, included with this print.
Each artwork is accompanied by a thin sheet of Japanese washi paper containing academic commentary in Japanese. For international collectors, we provide here a faithful English translation as part of the artwork’s documentation.
Artwork Description
This work depicts Osagawa Tsuneyo II in the role of Sakuragi, wife of Takemura Sadanoshin, from Koi Nyōbō Somewake Tazuna, performed at the Kawarazaki Theater in May 1794. The portrait belongs to Sharaku’s first period and exemplifies his restrained approach to female roles.
Tsuneyo was known for performances marked more by realism than flamboyance. In this portrayal, Sharaku captures that quality through a composed yet tense facial expression. The subdued green of the kimono, contrasted with light crimson accents and a sharply defined white collar, reinforces the atmosphere of quiet sorrow.
The stiffness of posture and measured gesture convey the emotional weight of a wife left behind after her husband’s seppuku. Rather than embellishing the figure, Sharaku emphasizes psychological presence and theatrical truth. Though modest in appearance, the work is essential for understanding the depth of Sharaku’s actor portraiture.
Edition
1968 woodblock reprint
Hand printed using traditional techniques
This is a mid 20th century reprint after Sharaku’s original 1794 design.
Condition
Good impression with vibrant colors.
Details
Signature: Tōshūsai Sharaku
Date: 1968
Japanese Woodblock Print
Print size: 31 x 21 cm
Backing sheet: 41.5 x 30 cm
All artworks are sold as shown in the photographs.
About the Sharaku Series
Tōshūsai Sharaku was active for only ten months between 1794 and 1795. During this brief period, he created actor portraits that broke dramatically from convention.
Rather than idealizing his subjects, Sharaku revealed the psychological intensity of kabuki performance through bold composition and uncompromising vision.
This series presents carefully selected mid 20th century woodblock reprints, printed by hand using traditional methods, offering a renewed encounter with Sharaku’s revolutionary work.
