The Actor Segawa Kikunojō as a Courtesan of the Ōmiya Brothel

ca. 1786 (Tenmei 6)

Not on view

Segawa Kikunojō III (1751–1810) was one of the top actors of his time in both male and female roles, but it was for his performances as an onnagata—especially in roles as courtesans and ingénues—that earned him the most acclaim. Here the character is bedecked in dramatic dragon robes, appropriate for a high-ranked courtesan. Here we have not yet been able to identify the play, but the entrance curtain behind the actor reads “Ōmiya,” recalling the name of the Naka-Ōmiya Brothel in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

三代目瀬川菊之丞の近江屋の遊女
Title: The Actor Segawa Kikunojō as a Courtesan of the Ōmiya Brothel
Artist: Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792)
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: ca. 1786 (Tenmei 6)
Culture: Japan
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Vertical hosoban; Image: 12 1/4 × 5 11/16 in. (31.1 × 14.4 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1918
Object Number: JP278
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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