The Actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX as Aza-maru - Katsukawa Shunsho

A classic ukiyo-e woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho, capturing the actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX in a dramatic kabuki pose from 1774.

This woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho depicts the kabuki actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX in the role of Aza-maru. The performance took place at the Ichimura Theater in Edo during the first month of 1774, within the play Yui Kanoko Date-zome Soga. Shunsho was a central figure in the development of yakusha-e, or actor prints, moving away from the stylised, generic portrayals common in earlier ukiyo-e to focus on the specific facial features and individual expressions of performers.

The composition captures a moment of high tension, with the actor posed in a dynamic crouch. He holds a sword aloft, his expression fixed in a dramatic glare. The artist employs a limited, muted colour palette, typical of the period, which directs the viewer's attention to the actor's posture and the intricate patterns of his kimono. The background is sparse, featuring a simple fence and the suggestion of a tree branch, which provides context without distracting from the central figure. The lines are precise and calligraphic, defining the folds of the costume and the intensity of the actor's gaze.

Shunsho's work is noted for its realism in capturing the likeness of actors, a departure from the idealised portraits of his predecessors. This print serves as a record of a specific theatrical event, documenting both the costume design and the performance style of the mid-Edo period. The use of woodblock printing techniques allows for the clear, bold outlines that characterise the Katsukawa school. The print remains a clear example of the intersection between the popular theatre culture of Edo and the visual arts of the time.