Self-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku Performance

Self-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku Performance

Ichikawa Danjūrō VII

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ichikawa Danjūrō VII portrayed himself in a "Shibaraku!" performance. "Shibaraku!" was customarily performed as part of the annual November "showing-faces" (kaomise) production to introduce a company of actors to the public. The bombastic shout of "Shibaraku!" was believed to ward off evil. Three poems are inscribed above the picture, including Danjūrō's poem at the center. Dominating the picture is the famous family crest of three nested squares (mimasu), seen both on the sleeves of the character's kimono and as the print's frame.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Self-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku PerformanceSelf-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku PerformanceSelf-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku PerformanceSelf-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku PerformanceSelf-Portrait of Danjuro VII in a Shibaraku Performance

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.