The Actor Onoe Matsusuke in the Role of Lady Iwafuji - Utagawa Toyokuni I
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Description
A classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Utagawa Toyokuni I, capturing the kabuki actor Onoe Matsusuke in the role of Lady Iwafuji.
This woodblock print by Utagawa Toyokuni I depicts the kabuki actor Onoe Matsusuke in the role of Lady Iwafuji. Toyokuni I was a central figure in the Utagawa school, known for his contributions to the yakusha-e genre, which focused on portraits of kabuki performers. His work often captured the specific mannerisms and facial expressions associated with popular actors of the Edo period. The composition presents the actor in a full-length pose, dressed in an elaborate kimono adorned with a floral pattern. The figure is positioned against a sparse background, which directs attention to the costume and the actor's posture. The lines are precise, reflecting the technical skill required for multi-block printing. The colour palette is restrained, relying on soft tones to define the fabric and the actor's features. The inclusion of a cartouche in the upper left provides identifying text, a common feature in prints intended for the theatre-going public of the time. Toyokuni I was instrumental in developing the style of actor portraiture that became standard in the late eighteenth century. His prints functioned as both promotional material for the theatre and as collectibles for fans of the kabuki stage. The focus here is on the characterisation of the role, with the actor's expression conveying the gravity associated with the character of Lady Iwafuji. This print offers a view into the aesthetic conventions of Japanese theatre art, where the performer and the costume are presented as a unified visual statement. The work demonstrates the balance between graphic clarity and the decorative elements inherent in the Ukiyo-e tradition.
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The Actor Onoe Matsusuke in the Role of Lady Iwafuji - Utagawa Toyokuni I
Artist Biography
Utagawa Toyokuni I
He was born in 1769, the son of a puppet maker. He studied under Utagawa Toyoharu, founder of the Utagawa school, and followed convention by taking one syllable of his master's name. His early work synthesised the styles of Utamaro, Eishi and Choki through close study and relentless practice. By the mid-1790s he had found his own voice. Yakusha Butai no Sugatae (Portraits of Actors in Their Various Roles), a series of large polychrome prints produced between 1794 and 1796, showed kabuki actors costumed and posed on stage rather than seated in formal dress. The series was a commercial triumph and set the standard for actor portraiture for the next generation.
He also excelled at bijin-ga, pictures of beautiful women, establishing compositions that ukiyo-e artists followed for decades. His innovations extended to format: he pioneered the use of diptych, triptych and polyptych arrangements that allowed more complex narrative compositions than the single sheet could hold.
As demand surged, Toyokuni's studio expanded until his personal involvement in each print became nominal. The quality of his later work declined, but the school he built survived him. His two most gifted pupils, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, became major figures in their own right, and the Utagawa school dominated ukiyo-e production through the final decades of the Edo period. He died in 1825.
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- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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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
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Artist Biography
Utagawa Toyokuni I
He was born in 1769, the son of a puppet maker. He studied under Utagawa Toyoharu, founder of the Utagawa school, and followed convention by taking one syllable of his master's name. His early work synthesised the styles of Utamaro, Eishi and Choki through close study and relentless practice. By the mid-1790s he had found his own voice. Yakusha Butai no Sugatae (Portraits of Actors in Their Various Roles), a series of large polychrome prints produced between 1794 and 1796, showed kabuki actors costumed and posed on stage rather than seated in formal dress. The series was a commercial triumph and set the standard for actor portraiture for the next generation.
He also excelled at bijin-ga, pictures of beautiful women, establishing compositions that ukiyo-e artists followed for decades. His innovations extended to format: he pioneered the use of diptych, triptych and polyptych arrangements that allowed more complex narrative compositions than the single sheet could hold.
As demand surged, Toyokuni's studio expanded until his personal involvement in each print became nominal. The quality of his later work declined, but the school he built survived him. His two most gifted pupils, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, became major figures in their own right, and the Utagawa school dominated ukiyo-e production through the final decades of the Edo period. He died in 1825.
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