{"product_id":"yamashina-shirojuro-in-the-role-of-nagoya-sanzaemon-toshusai-sharaku","title":"Yamashina Shirojuro in the Role of Nagoya Sanzaemon - Tōshūsai Sharaku","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1794 woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku depicting the kabuki actor Yamashina Shirojuro in a dramatic pose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku depicts the kabuki actor Yamashina Shirojuro in the role of Nagoya Sanzaemon. Produced in 1794, the work belongs to a brief, ten-month period during which the artist was active. Sharaku is known for his unconventional approach to actor portraits, often exaggerating facial features to capture the specific intensity of a performance rather than producing an idealised likeness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition features the actor in a three-quarter view, his body turned while his head looks back over his shoulder. He holds a folding fan decorated with a crane and sun motif, a common symbol in Japanese iconography. His costume, a kimono patterned with floral motifs, is rendered with precise lines that contrast against the flat, ochre-coloured background. The print employs the 'okubi-e' or large-head style, though here it extends to a full-length figure, maintaining the focus on the actor's dramatic expression and posture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSharaku's work remains distinct within the Ukiyo-e tradition for its psychological depth. Unlike many of his contemporaries who focused on the grace of the actor, Sharaku emphasised the raw, sometimes grotesque, reality of the stage. The use of mica or mineral pigments on the background, typical of high-quality prints from this era, provides a subtle texture that complements the bold ink lines of the figure. This print serves as a record of the Edo-period theatre culture, capturing a specific moment from a performance at the Miyako-za theatre in the fifth month of 1794. The clarity of the printing and the preservation of the original colour palette allow for an examination of the technical skill involved in the production of these Edo-period prints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/segawa-tomisaburo-ii-as-yadorigi-toshusai-sharaku\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eSegawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi - Tōshūsai Sharaku by Sharaku\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/ghosts-and-battle-scenes-utagawa-kunisada\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eGhosts and Battle Scenes by Utagawa Kunisada\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/toshusai-sharaku\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#2a555a;border:1px solid #2a555a;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#ffffff;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMore by Tōshūsai Sharaku →\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Tōshūsai Sharaku","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59503454224719,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59503454257487,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59503454290255,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59503454323023,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59503454355791,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59503454388559,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59503454421327,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59503454454095,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59503454486863,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59503454519631,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59503454552399,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59503454585167,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Yamashina-Shirojuro-in-the-Role-of-Nagoya-Sanzaemon_Poster_CompositorV1_1794626812716.jpg?v=1794626845","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/yamashina-shirojuro-in-the-role-of-nagoya-sanzaemon-toshusai-sharaku","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}