The Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya Hanbē

The Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya Hanbē

Shunkōsai Hokushū 春好斎北洲

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the great “all-around actors” (kaneru yakusha) of the Osaka stage who could play any type of role—male or female, hero or villain—Nakamura Utaemon III (1778–1838) is captured in a dramatic bust portrait of the townsman turned samurai Inanoya Hanbē. The accompanying poem, probably by a member of a fan club, praises the actor: Mirukara ni horeke mo sasuga meijin no shi-uchi wa sate mo yoi otokoburi —Suihendo Even at first glance, he’s so captivating— truly a skilled actor, whose technique, it’s true, makes him seem so dashing. (Trans. John T. Carpenter)

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya HanbēThe Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya HanbēThe Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya HanbēThe Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya HanbēThe Actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Inanoya Hanbē

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.