The Actor Nakayama Kumetaro II - Tōshūsai Sharaku

A striking 1794 woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku, capturing the kabuki actor Nakayama Kumetaro II with the artist's signature expressive realism.

This woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku depicts the kabuki actor Nakayama Kumetaro II. Produced in 1794, the work belongs to a brief, intense period of activity during which the artist created approximately 140 portraits of actors. Sharaku is known for his departure from the idealised representations common in the ukiyo-e genre of the time. Instead, he employed a style that borders on caricature, exaggerating the facial features and expressions of his subjects to capture their psychological state or the intensity of their stage persona.

The composition features the actor in a crouched posture, dressed in a black kimono adorned with a floral pattern, layered over a red undergarment. The background is a flat, uniform yellow, a technique often used in these prints to isolate the figure and focus the viewer on the actor's posture and expression. The lines are precise and calligraphic, defining the folds of the fabric and the sharp contours of the face. The artist's signature and the publisher's mark are visible on the left side of the print, providing historical context for the production of the work.

Sharaku's career was remarkably short, lasting only ten months. Despite this, his prints remain some of the most recognisable examples of the Edo period. His approach to portraiture provides a direct look at the kabuki theatre culture of the late 18th century. By focusing on the individual characteristics of the actors, he moved away from the generic beauty standards that dominated the art market. This print is a clear example of his ability to combine technical precision with a distinct, often unsettling, psychological depth. It offers a view into the aesthetic priorities of the period, where the artifice of the stage was captured through a lens of stark, graphic realism.