Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin

by Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)

Current Status

Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin by Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)

Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795) Japanese Woodblock Reprint
Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin

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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.

A Special Group - We recently acquired a special group of fine old Sharaku reprints. These are the best Sharaku reprints we have found, expertly printed with crisp line work, and shimmering distressed mica backgrounds that emulate the look of an original with a nice sense of age. If these iconic kabuki designs appeal to you, bid now, before they are gone!

Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin - 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 distressed dark mica background.

Artist - Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)

Image Size - 15 1/4" x 9 3/4"

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Slight paper remnants on reverse. Slight toning and soiling, a few creases. Please see photos for details. Good overall.

Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin by Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)
Onoe Matsusuke I as Matsushita Mikinoshin by Sharaku (active 1794 - 1795)

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