Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Memorial portrait of Ichikawa Danjuro VIII - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A 1854 woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi commemorating the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII, featuring a portrait alongside calligraphic text.
This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi serves as a memorial for the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII. Produced in 1854, the work captures the actor in a moment of quiet reflection, distinct from the high-energy roles often associated with the kabuki stage. Kuniyoshi, a master of the Ukiyo-e tradition, employs a balanced composition that divides the space between the figure and a calligraphic background.
The right side of the print features the actor, rendered with clean lines and a restrained colour palette. His expression is somber, reflecting the commemorative nature of the piece. To the left, the composition transitions into a delicate, ghost-like depiction of grasses, which provides a backdrop for the extensive Japanese calligraphy. This text serves as a eulogy, documenting the actor's life and his passing. The integration of text and image is a hallmark of the period, where the literary and visual arts functioned in tandem to convey complex narratives.
The print demonstrates the technical precision of the Edo-period woodblock process. The subtle gradients in the background and the crisp outlines of the actor's robes indicate the skill of the carvers and printers who collaborated with Kuniyoshi. The border, featuring a geometric pattern, frames the scene and provides a sense of structure to the overall design. This work offers a glimpse into the culture of celebrity surrounding kabuki actors in nineteenth-century Japan, where memorial prints were produced to satisfy the public demand for mementos of departed performers. It remains a clear example of the intersection between theatrical history and printmaking, documenting a specific moment in the life of a performer who held a significant place in the public consciousness of the time.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Memorial portrait of Ichikawa Danjuro VIII - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Kuniyoshi's father was a silk dyer in Edo. The boy helped with pattern design, which gave him an instinct for colour and textile decoration that shows in every print he made. At twelve he caught the attention of Utagawa Toyokuni, the head of the Utagawa school, and was admitted as a student. He was given the name Kuniyoshi in 1814 and became independent.
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
Made to order
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Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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