Katsukawa Shunko, The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo III as Matsuomaru in the play Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy
Gift of Charles Lang Freer · National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Open Access (CC0)View original →
Katsukawa Shunko

The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo III as Matsuomaru in the play Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy

18th century

Current Collection

National Museum of Asian Art

Washington, D.C., United States

Medium
Color, lacquer black, and slight gold on silk
Dimensions
58.7 × 26.8 cm
Status
In Museum Collection
Collect24 Art ID
C24-126447

The kabuki play Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy (Sugawara denju tenarai kagami) relates the story of Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), a courtier and calligrapher who died in exile due to maneuvers by his enemies at court. Here the actor Ichikawa Ebizo III (formerly Ichikawa Danjuro IV, 1712-1778) plays Matsuomaru, a samurai attendant to Fujiwara no Tokijira (871-909), one of the courtiers…

Provenance

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Registry history

  • 18th century — Recorded in the collection of National Museum of Asian Art

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