{"product_id":"memorial-portrait-of-matsumoto-koshiro-v-age-75-utagawa-kunihide","title":"Memorial Portrait of Matsumoto Kōshirō V, Age 75 - Utagawa Kunihide","description":"\u003cp\u003eA traditional Japanese woodblock memorial print by Utagawa Kunihide, depicting the kabuki actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V in a formal, reflective pose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Utagawa Kunihide depicts the kabuki actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V in a formal, seated posture. The work functions as a memorial portrait, capturing the actor at the age of 75. The figure is rendered with a focus on the distinct facial features and the heavy, angular folds of his traditional kamishimo attire. The artist employs a restrained palette, dominated by shades of blue and grey, which directs attention to the actor's expression and the calligraphic text above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe upper portion of the print is occupied by a significant block of Japanese text, a common feature in memorial prints known as shini-e. These prints were produced shortly after an actor's death to commemorate their career and provide a final image for their admirers. The red, dripping motif at the very top of the composition adds a somber, ritualistic quality to the piece, framing the text and the portrait below. The lines are precise and controlled, characteristic of the Utagawa school's approach to portraiture during the mid-Edo period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKunihide, a student of the Utagawa tradition, demonstrates a clear grasp of the balance between text and image. The composition is flat, typical of the medium, yet the actor occupies the space with a sense of gravity. The prayer beads held in the actor's hands suggest a state of reflection or religious observance, reinforcing the memorial nature of the print. This work provides a glimpse into the culture of kabuki fandom in nineteenth-century Japan, where the lives and deaths of performers were documented with care and artistic rigour. The print remains a record of both the individual actor and the stylistic conventions of the era.\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\/evening-glow-at-ryogoku-bridge-keisai-eisen\" 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;\"\u003eEvening Glow at Ryogoku Bridge - Keisai Eisen — Keisai Eisen\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/vehicles-on-the-streets-of-tokyo-utagawa-yoshitora\" 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;\"\u003eVehicles on the Streets of Tokyo - Utagawa Yoshitora — Utagawa Yoshitora\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Utagawa Kunihide","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58964560675151,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58964588429647,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58964588462415,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58964588495183,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58964588527951,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58964588560719,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58964588593487,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58964588626255,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58964588659023,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58964588691791,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58964588724559,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58964588757327,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Memorial-Portrait-of-Matsumoto-K-shir-V-Age-75_Poster_CompositorV1_1790761706733.jpg?v=1790762291","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/memorial-portrait-of-matsumoto-koshiro-v-age-75-utagawa-kunihide","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}