The Actors Hagi no Isaburo and Bando Hikosaburo in a Theatrical Role
ca. 1800-05
Toyokuni's actor prints are legion, their sheer volume leading to a gradual decline in quality. This is a fairly early example, however, dating approximately to the Kyowa era (1801-04) when Toyokuni focused on the expressive characters of individual actors. The high quality of the print reveals why the artist acquired a name for himself as an actor print specialist and reflects why so many students vied to call him their master.
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
15 1/8 x 10 1/8 in. (38.4 x 25.7 cm)
Gift of Mary and Allan Kollar
2014.32.8
Provenance: [Peter Gilder, Arts and Designs of Japan, San Francisco, California]; purchased from gallery by Allan Kollar, Seattle, Washington, 1980s; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2014
Photo: Colleen Kollar Zorn
