The Actors Matsumoto Koshiro IV and Sawamura Sojuro III - Torii Kiyonaga

A classic 1788 ukiyo-e woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga, capturing a dramatic scene from the kabuki play Ominaeshi Sugata no Hatsuaki.

This woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga depicts a scene from the 1788 production of the play Ominaeshi Sugata no Hatsuaki, staged at the Nakamura Theater in Edo. The composition is divided into two distinct registers, a common device in theatrical prints of the period. The upper section features musicians seated before music stands, providing the auditory backdrop for the performance. The lower section focuses on the dramatic interaction between the actors Matsumoto Koshiro IV, portraying Ukita Sakingo, and Sawamura Sojuro III, appearing as the ghost of the courtesan Takao.

Kiyonaga is recognised for his tall, graceful figures and his ability to balance complex narrative elements within a single frame. In this work, the artist employs a refined line quality to define the folds of the kimono and the expressive features of the actors. The colour palette remains restrained, utilising soft earth tones, muted greens, and subtle pinks, which were typical of the benizuri-e style or early full-colour printing techniques. The inclusion of a scroll held by the actor in the foreground adds a layer of meta-theatricality, as it features a smaller portrait of a figure, drawing the viewer into the specific plot points of the play.

The print captures the ephemeral nature of the kabuki stage. By documenting the specific actors and the production year, Kiyonaga provides a record of the cultural life in late eighteenth-century Japan. The bamboo fence serves as a structural element that separates the foreground action from the background, creating a sense of depth while maintaining the graphic clarity essential to the ukiyo-e tradition. This piece offers a view into the aesthetic preferences of the Edo period, where the theatre and the print market were closely linked.