Sharaku - Not much is known about the woodblock print artist Toshusai Sharaku, who specialized in kabuki portraits. His career spanned only ten months from 1794 to 1795, with around 150 prints known. Unlike his contemporaries, Sharaku did not idealize his subjects, instead creating realistic portrayals that were not always flattering, and his prints were not a popular success at the time. His best works convey a rare perceptivity, with a psychological insight and a deep understanding of the dramatic nature of the roles and the actors he depicted. Sharaku left behind a body of masterworks of ukiyo-e kabuki portraiture that remained unrecognized until a century after his death.

Comments - A striking portrait by Sharaku depicting Onoe Matsusuke I as the impoverished samurai Matsushita Mikinoshin in the kabuki play "Katakiuchi Noriaibanashi." His appearance is haggard, with dark shadows around his eyes and mouth, and his hair is pulled into a sloppy knot at the side of his head, with hair growing out atop his unshaven head. He leans forward, clutching a folding fan, a sword at his side. A poignant and expressive image, not often seen in reprint, with a shimmering dark mica background.

Artist - Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)

Image Size - 15 1/2" x 10 1/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. A few creases at edge. Please see photos for details. Good overall.