Very good antique condition overall. The colors remain vivid and the printed lines are sharp, preserving the dramatic appearance of this Meiji-period actor print.
This original Meiji-period yakusha-e (Kabuki actor print) was designed circa 1883–1887 by Toyohara Kunichika, one of the last great masters of traditional Kabuki portraiture.
The print depicts the actor Ichimura Uzaemon XIII, who is identified in the yellow cartouche under his earlier stage name, Ichimura Kakitsu, portraying Soga Jūrō in a Kabuki performance based on the legendary samurai Kusunoki Masashige. Although the middle characters of the title are partially obscured, the surviving inscription clearly references Nankō, the posthumous title of Kusunoki Masashige, and a dramatic meeting scene.
Kusunoki Masashige became one of the great symbols of loyalty in Japanese history. His unwavering devotion to Emperor Go-Daigo made him especially popular during the Meiji period, when his story was frequently adapted for Kabuki audiences and celebrated as an example of patriotism and self-sacrifice.
Kunichika was renowned for combining historical subjects with portraits of contemporary actors, preserving both the legendary figures of Japan's past and the performances of the country's greatest Kabuki stars. Today his prints remain invaluable records of Meiji theatre and one of the last great achievements of traditional ukiyo-e.
