Japanese Ukiyo-e Appreciation Series II: Performing Arts Paintings (3)

Author: Wu Guiyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Actor Prints – Woodblock prints depicting Kabuki actors. Tōshūzai Shigemasa – A master of "Actor Prints," whose life remains a mystery to this day. Believed to have originated from the theater world, Tōshūzai Shigemasa excelled at exaggerating features and simplifying brushwork to vividly capture the distinctive traits of famous performers, earning acclaim from many Kabuki enthusiasts. In just ten months from 1794 to 1795, Tōshūzai Shigemasa created nearly one hundred and fifty works. However, at the height of his fame, this brilliant artist quietly and mysteriously retired. Due to the rarity and high artistic value of his works, they have fetched top prices in international Ukiyo-e auctions.
Ukiyo-e refers to the genre of folk paintings from the Edo period in Japan. The term "ukiyo" originates from Buddhist language, meaning the myriad phenomena of the world, or the social realities one sees and hears. By the late 17th century, Japanese scholars adopted the term to describe art, giving rise to Ukiyo-e. The production of Ukiyo-e began with more expensive ink paintings, followed by the widely recognized woodblock prints. Ukiyo-e includes folk paintings centered on beautiful women, actor prints depicting Kabuki performers, as well as landscapes, flowers, birds, insects, grasses, and animal paintings. Among these, the beautiful woman paintings and actor prints, often referred to as the two major themes of Ukiyo-e, are celebrated for their unique charm and have attracted worldwide attention, being widely preserved in major museums across the globe.