{"product_id":"the-actor-ichimura-uzaemon-ix-as-aza-maru-katsukawa-shunsho","title":"The Actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX as Aza-maru - Katsukawa Shunsho","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic ukiyo-e woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho, capturing the actor Ichimura Uzaemon IX in a dramatic kabuki pose from 1774.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShunsho'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.\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\/jo-and-uba-of-takasago-looking-at-the-rising-sun-totoya-hokkei\" 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;\"\u003eJo and Uba of Takasago Looking at the Rising Sun - Totoya Hokkei — Totoya Hokkei\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/frolicking-figures-and-animals-kawanabe-kyosai\" 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;\"\u003eFrolicking Figures and Animals - Kawanabe Kyōsai — Kawanabe Kyōsai\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Katsukawa Shunsho","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970040533327,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970051805519,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970051838287,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58970051871055,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58970051903823,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58970051936591,"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":58970051969359,"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":58970052002127,"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":58970052034895,"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":58970052067663,"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":58970052100431,"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":58970052133199,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Actor-Ichimura-Uzaemon-IX-as-Aza-maru_Poster_CompositorV1_1790796783710.jpg?v=1790804171","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/the-actor-ichimura-uzaemon-ix-as-aza-maru-katsukawa-shunsho","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}