{"product_id":"the-actor-otani-oniji-iii-as-edobei-after-toshusai-sharaku","title":"The Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Edobei - After Tōshūsai Sharaku","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e After Tōshūsai Sharaku (active 1794–1795)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Edobei\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Design Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1794\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImpression:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20th-century Japanese reprint\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Japanese color woodblock print\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ōban tate-e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaper Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.75 X 8.5 in\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Japanese woodblock print is a later reprint of Tōshūsai Sharaku’s celebrated 1794 portrait \u003cem\u003eThe Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Edobei\u003c\/em\u003e, one of the most recognizable actor prints in the history of ukiyo-e. The original is held in major museum collections, including the Tokyo National Museum, where it is designated an Important Cultural Property. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSharaku depicts the kabuki actor Ōtani Oniji III playing Edobei, a villainous servant in the play \u003cem\u003eKoi Nyōbō Somewake Tazuna\u003c\/em\u003e, performed at the Kawarasaki theater in Edo in May 1794. Edobei leans forward with his hands spread dramatically across his chest, his narrowed eyes, exaggerated eyebrows, and clenched expression immediately communicating the character’s scheming personality. The Tokyo National Museum identifies the moment as Edobei attempting to rob the character Ippei. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is a classic example of Sharaku’s unconventional approach to actor portraiture. Rather than flattering famous performers, Sharaku exaggerated their distinctive facial features and gestures, creating portraits that feel simultaneously theatrical and psychologically acute. Against the dark mica-style background, Edobei’s pale face and hands become especially dramatic, while the striped costume provides a strong geometric contrast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscriptions \u0026amp; Marks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Edobei\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist of Original Design:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tōshūsai Sharaku\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Design Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 1794\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSubject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ōtani Oniji III in the role of Edobei\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlay:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eKoi Nyōbō Somewake Tazuna\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRight inscription:\u003c\/strong\u003e 東洲斎写楽画 複製 — identifying the image as a reproduction after a design by Tōshūsai Sharaku\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Yūyūdō (悠々洞)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eImpression:\u003c\/strong\u003e Later Japanese reprint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Color woodblock print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBackground:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark gray\/silver-toned ground\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good. Full margins with light toning and minor handling wear consistent with age. Small scattered surface marks and minor edge wear are visible, including a small area of discoloration\/marking along the right edge. Colors remain strong, with crisp black linework and good contrast against the gray background. Please review the photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Artist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tōshūsai Sharaku is one of the most mysterious and celebrated artists in the history of ukiyo-e. Virtually nothing certain is known about his life. He appeared suddenly in Edo in 1794, produced an extraordinary group of actor portraits, and disappeared from the historical record less than a year later. His surviving output consists largely of kabuki actors portrayed with an unusually direct and sometimes almost caricatural attention to their individual features. Instead of idealizing performers, Sharaku emphasized their expressions, gestures, and physical peculiarities, producing some of the most psychologically compelling portraits of the Edo period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Print:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Edobei\u003c\/em\u003e was created in 1794 during the remarkable first phase of Sharaku’s extremely brief career. The original was a luxurious \u003cem\u003eōkubi-e\u003c\/em\u003e, or large-head actor portrait, printed with a dark mica background. The actor’s claw-like hands and intense expression have made the composition one of Sharaku’s defining images and one of the most widely reproduced works of Japanese art. The original design dates to the Edo period; \u003cstrong\u003ethis particular sheet is a later Japanese woodblock reprint and is being sold as such\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than as an original 1794 impression.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63938778399091,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/3549\/2211\/files\/YGP00339.jpg?v=1786230824","url":"https:\/\/blueskyprintshop.com\/products\/the-actor-otani-oniji-iii-as-edobei-after-toshusai-sharaku","provider":"Blue Sky Print Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}