Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Yakusha-e: Kabuki Prints, a Continuing Tradition

(from 29th Nov 2011 until 4th Mar 2012)

Discover the brightly coloured woodblock prints of actors from Japanese popular theatre.

Detail of The actor Nakamura Shikan IV as the fisherman Fukashichi, Tōkyō, 1869 (Museum No: EA1971.2
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The actor Kawarasaki Gonjūrō as the courier Sakihei

  • Description

    The figures in this triptych [see EA1983.70] are all couriers, or postmen, identifiable by their distinctive black gloves and gaiters. The couriers stand in front of a shrine that houses the rat-ghost of the wicked priest Raigō, who has been casting evil spells on the people of Japan. The ruler Yoritomo has fallen ill under the spell of the rat; he offers a large reward for the delivery of a special silver cat figure he wishes to place in his sickroom in order to drive out the evil spirit. The parcel at the centre of this print contains this silver cat: all three couriers are vying with each other to deliver the parcel.

  • Details

    Series
    The Sound of Drums in the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters
    Associated place
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of creation)
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of publication)
    Date
    1866
    Artist/maker
    Toyohara Kunichika (1835 - 1900) (designer)
    Associated people
    Izutsuya Shōkichi (active c. 1849 - 1865) (publisher)
    Kawarasaki Gonjūrō (1838 - 1903) (subject)
    Material and technique
    Nishiki-e, woodblock print with ink and colour
    Dimensions
    mount 55.4 x 34.3 cm (height x width)
    print 36.5 x 24.4 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Christ Church College, University of Oxford, 1983.
    Accession no.
    EA1983.70.a

Past Exhibition

see (1)

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

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Objects from past exhibitions may have now returned to our stores or a lender. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so please contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.

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