The Actors Bando Hikosaburo I and Nakamura Sukegoro I - Torii Kiyonobu II

A 1746 woodblock print by Torii Kiyonobu II depicting actors Bando Hikosaburo I and Nakamura Sukegoro I in a scene from the play Chigozakura Futabajikki.

This woodblock print by Torii Kiyonobu II depicts a scene from the kabuki play Chigozakura Futabajikki, performed at the Ichimura Theater in Edo during the tenth month of 1746. The composition features two actors, Bando Hikosaburo I and Nakamura Sukegoro I, portrayed in their respective roles as Araki Shozaemon and Daidoji Tahatanosuke.

As a practitioner of the Torii school, Kiyonobu II maintained the stylistic conventions established by his predecessors, focusing on the dramatic representation of kabuki performers. The print employs the urushi-e technique, where black lacquer-like ink is applied to specific areas to create contrast against the hand-applied colour washes. The figures are rendered with bold, sweeping lines that define their posture and the elaborate patterns of their kimono.

The artist captures the tension of the theatrical moment through the actors' expressions and their physical proximity. The background remains minimal, directing the viewer's attention to the costumes and the specific character identities indicated by the family crests visible on their garments. This work belongs to the genre of yakusha-e, or actor prints, which served as popular souvenirs and promotional materials for the theatre-going public in eighteenth-century Japan. The print reflects the aesthetic priorities of the period, where the stylised portrayal of famous performers was a primary subject for woodblock artists. The use of line and the deliberate arrangement of the figures demonstrate the technical skill required to produce these ephemeral yet highly sought-after images of the floating world.