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 belongs to Sharaku’s second period and is one of the seven full length portraits produced during that phase. It is the only example printed on a black mica ground rather than the more common white mica background.
The scene is drawn from Yomononishiki Kokyō no Tabiji, performed at the Kiriza Theater in August 1794. It depicts Kameya Chūbei and Tsuchiya Sakuragawa as they embark on a tragic journey. Emerging from the dark, lustrous surface, the figures share an umbrella and wear coordinated garments, forming a unified silhouette against the black field.
The expansive composition evokes the spatial breadth of the kabuki stage. Sharaku’s disciplined line work and controlled color harmony heighten the emotional gravity of departure. Rather than relying on exaggerated gesture, the print conveys quiet inevitability, transforming theatrical drama into monumental presence.
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.
Faint soiling and age related staining consistent with age.
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.
