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The Actor Ichikawa Yaozō III as Tanabe Bunzō
Tōshūsai Sharaku Japanese
Not on view
Sharaku’s skill as a portraitist lay in his ability to capture both the features and the mood of the actor in a simple, almost caricaturish, manner that conveys great emotive power. For instance, even without knowing the plot of the play, one might sense that this samurai is powerless, through his hunched shoulders, gently clasped hands inside his sleeves, slightly unkempt hair, and look of resignation. Ichikawa Yaozō III (1747–1818) played the role of a masterless samurai supporting the plot of two brothers to avenge their father in a performance of Flowering Irises: A Soga Vendetta for the Bunroku Era (Hana ayame: Bunroku Soga) that took place in the fifth month of 1794—the same production represented in the print nearby.
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