Goemon Ishikawa and his son Goroichi - Utagawa Kunisada

A dramatic woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicting the legendary outlaw Ishikawa Goemon and his son in a scene from kabuki theatre.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts the legendary outlaw Ishikawa Goemon alongside his son, Goroichi. The scene captures a dramatic moment from the kabuki theatre repertoire, specifically the execution of Goemon by boiling in a large iron cauldron. Kunisada, a prolific designer of actor prints, employs the characteristic visual language of the mid-nineteenth century Edo period to convey the intensity of the narrative.

The composition focuses on the upper bodies of the figures emerging from the cauldron. Goemon is shown holding his son aloft, a gesture that reflects the emotional weight of the scene. The artist uses bold outlines and a controlled colour palette to define the figures against the swirling steam and the dark, fiery base of the cauldron. The print demonstrates the technical precision of the woodblock medium, with clear registration of the colour blocks and fine detail in the facial expressions, which are typical of the exaggerated, expressive style found in kabuki-e.

Ishikawa Goemon remains a popular figure in Japanese folklore, often portrayed as a Robin Hood-like character. In kabuki performances, the boiling scene is a spectacle of endurance and paternal devotion. Kunisada’s interpretation provides a static representation of this kinetic stage action, freezing the moment for the viewer. The inclusion of cartouches containing the names of the characters serves to identify the subjects for the audience, a common convention in ukiyo-e prints of the era. This work offers a glimpse into the intersection of popular theatre and print culture in Japan, where the fame of actors and the stories they performed were disseminated through such affordable, mass-produced images.