Kiyotada - The Eighteen Great Kabuki Plays

Kiyotada Torii IV

A wonderful design from the series "The Eighteen Great Kabuki Plays". It depicts actor Ichikawa Danjûrô IX as Juteikô Kan'u in the play Kan'u ("The Chinese General Guan Yu"). Kan'u was originally staged in 1737 at the Kawarasaki Theatre and starred Ichikawa Ebizô II and Ichikawa Danzô I. The legendary Chinese warrior Kan'u, depicted in a colorful and elaborate Chinese costume, holds his long beard and looks into the distance, his horse behind him.

This series depicts roles from eighteen kabuki plays made famous by the Ichikawa Danjuro line of actors. Working under the artist's name of Tadakiyo, Kiyotada designed the Danjuro roles, and his father, Torii Kiyosada, drew the secondary figures.

Publisher: Hasegawa Sumi

Date: 1895

Condition: Very good color and condition. Print is backed. Elaborate embossing.

Size: 14 1/4" x 9 1/2"

Genre: Ukiyo-e - Yakusha-e

Medium: Woodblock Print