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A work made of color woodblock print; hosoban.

The Actor Ichikawa Danzo III as Shoki the Demon Queller in the Play Date Moyo Kumo ni Inazuma, Performed at the Morita Theater in the Tenth Month, 1768

c. 1768

Katsukawa Shunsho 勝川 春章 Japanese, 1726-1792

Japan

The actor Ichikawa Danzō II is shown striking a pose, or mie, while playing the role of the formidable Shōki the Demon Queller during a performance at the Morita Theater in Edo (now Tokyo) in 1768. It looks as if he is shown mid-movement, with his sleeves and hair flying up in the air. Danzō’s actor-crest of three nested boxes appears on the front of his robe. Before it faded to a tan color, the background of this print was blue.

Color woodblock print; hosoban

Arts of Asia