Ichikawa Danjūrō IX as Kezori Kuemon

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

1839–1892

Ichikawa Danjūrō IX as Kezori Kuemon, About 1890

Color woodblock prints; ōban triptych

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) was a prolific designer who produced more than 2,000 color prints for over 50 different publishers. He illustrated a small number of books and was also active as a painter; approximately 30 of his paintings have survived. Yoshitoshi died on June 9, 1892, at the relatively young age of 53. After his death, he achieved posthumous acclaim as the most significant Japanese print designer between 1850 and 1899, because of the novel style he employed, which included dynamic angles.

This image from the play Love at Sea shows the pirate Kezori Kuemon standing on the prow of his ship and staring at the sea at a critical moment in the drama. The huge, glowing moon creates a halo effect as it illuminates the actor and his elaborate Chinese-style costume. This print does not depict a scene from nature but, instead, the illusion of a dark, clear night as it might appear on the Kabuki stage.