Rare 1920s Shin-Hanga Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print Reproduction – Sharaku Toshusai’s Ichikawa Ebizo, Printed by Hiroshi Yoshida – 9”x13″

An exceptional 1920’s reproduction of a classic 18th-century Ukiyo-e woodblock print by the renown artist Sharaku Toshusai, depicting the actor Ichikawa Ebizo as Takemura Sadanoshin.  Perfect for any collector of Shin-hanga art movement of woodblock prints created in the Edo Period of Japan. 

The Artist: Sharaku Toshusai (active 1794–1795)

The original Sharaku prints, produced for only a brief period between 1794-1795, were revolutionary for their intense realism and bold character studies, which were considered “too realistic” during the Edo period.

Sharaku created yakush-e which are portraits of actors. His compositions reflected the characters the actors portrayed. This use of realism was unusual for prints of the time. Other contemporary Japanese artists represented their subjects with an idealized beauty, while Sharaku brought these characters to life. This was not popular at the time. Sharaku only created works for 10 months due to the rejection of his work. His mastery of the medium woodcut, with no apparent apprenticeship, has drawn much speculation on who he was. Academic researchers have proposed that he hid his true identity. It has been proposed that he was an actor, a poet or the ukiyo-e master Hokusai who was trying a new style.

The Subject: The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo as Takemura Sadanoshin

 Ichikawa Ebizo is actually not a specific person’s name. Rather it was a stage name of actors from the Ichikawa family. Little is known of this specific actor who is here representing the sorrowful figure of Takemura Sadanoshin. 

In 1794 a new play “Koinyobo Samewake” was premiered.  It is the story of Takemura Sadanoshin, a high ranking Noh actor / retainer whose daughter disgraces herself by having an affair with another retainer. To save his daughter from disgrace, Takemura Sadanoshin choses the most tragic end – seppuku (ritual suicide). 

Sharaku’s art portrays Takemura Sadanoshin at his most sorrowful moment. 

The Printer: Master Shin-hanga print designer Hiroshi Yoshida (1876 – 1950)

In the early 20th century a new print art movement was born.  It incorporated Western elements of light and emotional expression. Hiroshi Yoshida became renowned for his landscape prints in this style. Yoshida was considered bold for his portraits of non-Japanese subject matter such as the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and more. Sharaku Toshusai’s use of expression was a natural fit for Yoshida. He used the Shin-hanga technique printed on high quality rice paper made in the early 1800s. 

Key Features & Details

• Artist: Tōshūsai Sharaku (original design, c. 1794-1795)
• Movement: Shin-hanga (early 20th-century revival art movement)
• Subject: Actor Ichikawa Ebizo V as Takemura Sadanoshin
• Medium: Woodblock Print on High-Quality Handmade Paper
• Era: Printed circa 1920s
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; includes artist’s mark and a partially cut stamp (likely due to previous matting)
• Authentication: Accompanied by original Japanese documentation and a biographical description of famed Shin-hanga printer, Hiroshi Yoshida.

Sizing

• Actual Print Size: 9″ x 13″
• With Matting: 12″ x 16″

Included Documentation

This listing is a treasure trove for collectors, including several accompanying materials:

• Japanese Document (on rice paper): A history of the actor portrayed and a vivid description of the print itself, including a translated passage: “The eyes beneath the upraised eyebrows are alive. At any moment a voice seems about to leak from his distorted mouth.”
• Biographical Description: A write-up prepared by art conservationist M. Van Geld, describing the life and work of the master Shin-hanga print designer Hiroshi Yoshida.
• Folder Cover: Reads “Written by Dongzhou Zhaima Le” in Traditional Chinese.

We will ship this print and materials flat in a box.