Category Archives: Ichikawa Danjuro

Life Through a Deluxe Lens

Posted on October 30, 2020 by toshidama

By the middle of the nineteenth century in Japan, an extraordinary art form had developed which had taken the basic single-colour woodblock print, (a form of wet ink relief reproduction common for centuries in Europe and Asia) and made it … Continue reading →

Posted in Chushingura, Hirosada, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Kunisada, Osaka Prints, Toyokuni III, ukiyo-e, Uncategorized, Woodblock print | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jasper Johns: Skin and Oshiguma

Posted on May 6, 2020 by toshidama

The print pictured above is by the outstanding American artist Jasper Johns. The print was made by Johns coating his skin with oil and then impressing his face and hands onto a sensitised litho plate. Charcoal was rubbed onto the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese Art, Japanese prints, Jasper Johns, kabuki theatre, Kunisada, Pop Art, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Pirate Chief Kezori Kyuemon

Posted on April 23, 2019 by toshidama

What an amazing image this is… its a fabulous woodblock print by the nineteenth century artist Kunichika and it depicts the great actor of the kabuki theatre, Ichikawa Danjuro IX as the Pirate Chief Kezori Kyuemon from the play, Hakata … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, Floating World, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese Art, Japanese Art Gallery, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Meiji Art, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art, Uncategorized, utagawa | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pesky Catfish – A Tsunami Averted

Posted on November 23, 2016 by toshidama

Japan is no stranger to natural disaster and earthquakes are perhaps one of the most devastating events that can befall a city. In previous centuries, Edo (now Tokyo), was plagued by earthquakes that caused destruction to the fragile straw and paper houses by disturbing open fires, lanterns, cooking stoves and other vulnerable objects Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Art, Earthquake, Floating World, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese Art, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunisada, Namazu-e, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ashiyuki and the Tsuzumi Drum

Posted on April 20, 2016 by toshidama

Ashiyuki (active 1813 – 1833) Nakamura Matsue III as Akoya in the Play Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki, 1829 This lovely print… a rare and early Osaka triptych in oban format shows three actors (all male, despite appearances), the centre … Continue reading →

Posted in Ashiyuki, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Tsuzumi Drum, ukiyo-e, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kunichika and The Masu Rice Measure

Posted on April 19, 2016 by toshidama

Kunichika (1835-1900)  Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen, 1882. This is a fine print, a triptych by Kunichika. The scene is from one of the many (probably terrible) melodramatic plays favoured by the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro. Based on historic fact, … Continue reading →

Posted in Floating World, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, masu, Meiji Art, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment