Ichikawa Danjürö II as Sukeroku and Nakamura Takesaburö I as Agemaki

Catalog note / 解説

Before the introduction of nishiki-e (full color prints) in the middle of the 18th century, ukiyo-e artists toiled to create detailed prints that captured the colorful spectacle of Kabuki using only black and white. The Torii School, famous for its depictions of Kabuki actors, worked on playbills for Kabuki performances as well as prints capturing dramatic scenes or famous actors. Though Kiyomasu I may have been the son of Torii Kiyonobu I, the founder of the Torii School, his genealogy remains a point of contention in scholarly circles. He was quite prolific, but left many works unsigned. This print, created about three years after the first Edo performance of Sukeroku in 1713, showcases I…