Accession Number
2003/1.451

Title
Iwai Shijaku [I] as Aburaya Osome, from the series Portraits of Modern Actors [Haiyû tôsei kagami]

Artist(s)
Utagawa Kunisada

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1822-1844

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
14 9/16 in. x 10 1/16 in. ( 37 cm x 25.6 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James Hayes

Subject matter
Actor Iwai Shijaku I, also known as Iwai Hanshirō VII, was the oldest son of Iwai Hanshirō V.  He was born in 1804 and died in 1845. "Portraits of Modern Actors" series was a collaboration with Kunisada's teacher Utagawa Toyokuni, or Kunisada took over the series after Toyokuni was not able to continue.

Physical Description
This print is a portrait of a woman.  She wears a gold and blue patterned robe over layers of orange and light blue.  Her hair is decorated with cloth, pins, and flowers.  Behind the portrait is a bundle of cords joined at the base by a circular pendant.
 
Inscriptions: Artist’s signature: Kunisada ga; Publisher’s seal: Tsutakichi; Haiyū tōsei kagami; Aburaya Osome, Iwai Shijaku

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
actors
actors (performing artists)
kabuki
portraits
theater (discipline)