‘Large head’ pictures (ōkubi-e), showing just the head and shoulders of the subject rather than the whole body, became popular after the 1780s. Ōkubi-e allowed the designer to emphasize particular facial features, expressions, make-up or poses of favorite actors in popular roles. Here the actor Nakamura Utaemon IV, in the role of Kogoro Hyōe, crosses his eyes in an intense pose known as a mie, struck at a climatic moment in a kabuki play.
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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