The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"

The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"

Utagawa Toyokuni I

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Toyokuni's series "Kabuki Actors on Stage" was published between 1794 and 1796. In contrast to his rival To-shu-sai Sharaku, who exaggerated actors' climactic poses (mie) in close-up images, Toyokuni portrayed actors standing in relaxed poses. From the late eighteenth century on, Toyokuni and his numerous Utagawa-school disciples dominated the production of ukiyo-e prints of Kabuki stars. Toyokuni here presents Sawamura Sōjūrō III (1753–1801) in the role of Shimada Jūzaburō in the play Faithful Courtesans in Yoshiwara. The actor's trousers are decorated with a simplified chrysanthemum design and a stylized pattern of water known as kanze mizu, which became closely associated with Sōjūrō III and influenced textile fashion more widely. A Noh robe decorated with the kanze mizu pattern is on view in this gallery. The simplified background and kimono patterns enhance the arrested image of the actor.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"The Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III in the Role of Shimada Jūzaburō, from the series "Image of Actors on Stage"

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.