Actors Nakajima Wadaemon and Nakamura Konozō - Tōshūsai Sharaku

A striking 1794 woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku, capturing the intense, expressive faces of two kabuki actors in a classic ōkubi-e portrait.

This woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku depicts two kabuki actors, Nakajima Wadaemon and Nakamura Konozō, in their respective roles as Bōdara Chōzaemon and Gon of the Kanagawa-ya. Produced in 1794, the work belongs to a series of large-head portraits (ōkubi-e) that captured the intense, often exaggerated expressions of performers at the Kiri-za theatre in Edo.

Sharaku is known for his departure from the idealised beauty common in contemporary ukiyo-e. Instead, he focused on the psychological state of the actor, using sharp, angular lines and stark contrasts to convey character. In this composition, the two figures are positioned in close proximity, their facial features rendered with a focus on the grotesque and the expressive. The actor on the left, Nakajima Wadaemon, displays a grimace, while the figure on the right, Nakamura Konozō, leans in with a look of concern or suspicion.

The use of a mica background (kirazuri) adds a subtle, shimmering quality to the print, which was a hallmark of Sharaku's early work. The colour palette is restrained, relying on muted tones of red, grey, and off-white to direct the viewer's attention to the actors' faces and gestures. The composition is flat, typical of the period, yet the overlapping forms create a sense of immediate, dramatic tension.

Sharaku's career was brief, spanning only ten months in 1794 and 1795. Despite this short period, his output remains a significant record of the kabuki theatre culture of the late eighteenth century. His approach to portraiture rejected the standardisation of the time, offering a raw, unflinching look at the performers who entertained the urban population of Edo. This print provides a clear example of his ability to distil the essence of a theatrical performance into a single, static image.