Tōshūsai Sharaku

Background

Tōshūsai Sharaku's (original name Saitō Jūrōbei) dates of birth or death are unknown.

Career

Tōshūsai Sharaku made mostly yakusha-e portraits of kabuki actors. His compositions emphasize poses of dynamism and energy, and display a realism unusual for prints of the time - contemporaries such as Utamaro represented their subjects with an idealized beauty, while Sharaku did not shy from showing unflattering details. This was not to the tastes of the public, and the enigmatic artist's production ceased in the first month of 1795.

His mastery of the medium with no apparent apprenticeship has drawn much speculation, and researchers have long tried to discover his true identity - amongst the dozens of proposals, some suggest he was an obscure poet, others a Noh actor, or even the ukiyo-e master Hokusai.

Over 140 prints have been established as the work of Sharaku; the majority are portraits of actors or scenes from kabuki theatre, and most of the rest are of sumo wrestlers or warriors. The prints appeared in the common print sizes aiban, hosoban, and ōban. They are divided into four periods.

The first period was made up of 28 ōban prints from the fifth month of Kansei 6 (in 1794). They depict actors from kabuki plays performed at three theatres: Hana-ayame Bunroku Soga at the Miyako-za; Katakiuchi Noriyaibanashi and the jōruri Hana-shōbu Omoi no Kanzashi at the Kiri-za; and the kiri-kyōgen Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura at the Kawarazaki-za. These prints are ōkubi yakusha-e against black mica backgrounds, made with a precise, fine line and simple colour scheme. 8 ōban and 30 hosoban prints make up the second period from the seventh and eighth months of Kansei 6 (1794). The third period (1794-1795) was made up of 47 hosoban, 13 aiban, and 4 ōban prints. 10 hosoban and 5 aiban prints make up the fourth period from the first month of Kansei 7 (1795).

The prints of the first two periods are signed "Tōshūsai Sharaku", the latter two only "Sharaku". The print sizes became progressively smaller and the focus shifts from busts to full-length portraits. The depictions became less expressive and more conventional.

Two picture calendars dating to as early as 1789 and three decorated fans as late as 1803 have been attributed to Sharaku, but have yet to be accepted as authentic works of his. Sharaku's reputation rests largely on the earlier prints; those from the eleventh month of 1794 and after are considered artistically inferior.

Achievements

• Tōshūsai Sharaku was not a very popular artist; only after his work became highly regarded by Westerners was he fully recognized by the Japanese. His work was considered some of the greatest in the ukiyo-e genre. He was renowned for creating visually bold prints that gave rare revealing glimpses into the world of kabuki.
  
  Among his most famous works were "Ōtani Oniji III in the Role of the Servant Edobei", "Ichikawa Omezō I as Tomita Hyōtarō" and "Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Satsuma Gengobei".

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Kabuki Actor Segawa Kikunojō III as the Shirabyōshi Hisakata Disguised as Yamato Manzai

  • Ōtani Tokuji as Monogusa Tarō

  • Kabuki Actor Segawa Kikunojō III as Hanazono, Wife of Ōtomo No Kuronushi

  • Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Okinu, wife of Chōemon

  • Nakayama Tomisaburō as Miyagino in the Play "Katakiuchi Noriyaibanashi"

  • Kabuki Actor Sakata Hangorō III as Kosodate Kannonbō

  • Osagawa Tsuneyo II as the hairdresser O-Roku

  • Segawa Tomisaburō as Yadorigi, Wife of Ogishi Kurando, by Tōshūsai Sharaku

  • Miyako Dennai III, the Stage Manager of the Metropolitan Theater (Miyako-za)

  • Painted Hand Fan - Senmen rōjin zu

  • Seven-year-old Sumo Wrestler Daidōzan Bungorō

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Komazō II as Minase Rokurō Munezumi in a Kamishimo

  • Actor Ichikawa Yaozo III as a Courtesan's Attendant

  • Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as the boatman Minagawa Shin'emon of Reisengasaki in Kamakura, actually Hata Rokurōzaemon Tokiyoshi

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō I as Kamakura Gondayū

  • Momiji gari

  • Kataoka Nizaemon VII as Ki no Natora

  • Otafuku Throwing Black Beans to Chase Away the Demons on New Year's Eve

  • Ichikawa Danjūrō VI as Fuwa Bansaku

  • Ichikawa Danjūrō VI as Arakawa Tarō Takesada

  • Ichikawa Danjuro VI as Funa Bansaku,son of Fuwa Banzayemon

  • Kabuki Actor Bandō Mitsugorō II as Soga Gorō Tokimune

  • Ichikawa Yaozō III as a Kamuro Performing a Lion Dance

  • Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Satsuma Gengobei

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Yaozō III as Soga Jūrō Sukenari

  • Kabuki Actor Nakamura Kumetarō II as Minato, Wife of Yura Hyōgonosuke in the Play Shinrei Yaguchi No Watashi'

  • Kabuki Actor Ōtani Oniji II as Kawashima Jibugorō

  • Nakamura Nozio II as Ono no Komachi

  • Bandō Hikosaburō III as Sagisaka Sanai in the Play "Koinyōbō Somewake Tazuna"

  • Matsumoto Koshiro IV as the Fish Peddler Gorobei

  • Actor Sakakiyama Sangoro II as Michinaga's Daughter Princess Otae

  • Kikunojō Segawa III as Nakai Ohama in Hana No Miyako Kuruwa No Nawabari

  • Bandō Mitsugorō II as the manservant Kugahei

  • Sakata Hangorō III as Yahazu no Yahatei

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as Otoma, Daughter of Ohina from Inamuragasaki in Kamakura, actually Kikusui, the wife of Kusunoki Masashige

  • Matsumoto Yonesaburo as Kewaizaka no Shosho in the Play "Katakiuchi Noriyaibanashi"

  • Nakajima Wadaemon and Nakamura Konozō as Bōdara no Chōzaemon and Kanagawaya no Gon in the Play "Katakiuchi Noriyaibanashi"

  • Kabuki Actor Iwai Kumesaburō I as the Geisha Kumekichi

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as Chihaya, the younger sister of the Shintō priest Kenkō

  • Kabuki Actor Matsumoto Yonesaburō I as the Maid Otsuyu

  • Kabuki Actors Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Nagoya Sanza, and Segawa Kikunojō Iii as the Courtesan Katsuragi

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as Nitta Yoshisada, actually Oyamada Tarō Takaie

  • Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Kujaku Saburō

  • Ichikawa Monnosuke Ii as Date No Yosaku in the Kabuki Play "koi-nyōbō Somewake Tazuna"

  • The Actor Sawamura Sojuro III

  • Bando Hikosaburō III in the Role of Obi-ya Chōeimon and Iwai Hanshirō IV in the Role of Shinano-ya Ohan

  • Bandō Mitsugorō II as the Farmer Asakusa no Jirōsaku

  • Segawa Tomisaburō II as the Ōtomo Family's Maid Wakakusa, Actually Prince Koretaka

  • Nakamura Noshio II as Konohana, Daughter of Ki no Tsurayuki

  • Ōtani Hiroji III as Tosa no Matabei

  • Actor Yamashita Kinsaku II as Sadato's Wife Iwate

  • Sanokawa Ichimatsu III as Sekinoto, wife of Fuwa Benzaemon

  • Kabuki Actor Bandō Mitsugorō II as the Farmer Fukakusa No Jirōsaku

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Yaozō III as Saeki Kurando Tsunenori

  • Characters from the Kabuki Play Matsu Ha Misao Onna Kusunoki Niban-me

  • Yamashita Kinsaku II as the maid Ebizō Okane, actually Iwate Gozen, wife of Abe Sadatō

  • Arashi Ryūzō II as Ōtomo Yamanushi

  • Kabuki Actors Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as Ninokuchimura Magoemon, and Nakayama Tomisaburō as Umegawa

  • The Actor Nakayama Kumetaro II

  • Page from Shotōzan Tenarai Hōjō in Which a Picture by Sharaku Appears on a Kite

  • Iwai Kiyotarō II as O-Sode, daughter of Futamiya

  • Actor Sakakiyama Sangorō II as Princess Odae, Daughter of Michinaga in the Play Otokoyama Oedo No Ishizue

  • Soga Gorō and Gosho Gorōmaru

  • Ōtani Hiroji III as Hata no Daizen Taketora

  • Arashi Ryūzō I as Ishibe Kinkichi in the Play Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga

  • Ichikawa Omezō as Tomita Hyōtarō and Ōtani Oniji III as Ukiyo Tohei

  • Kōshirō Matsumoto IV as Sakanaya Gorobee

  • Seven-year-old Sumo Wrestler Daidōzan Bungorō Chasing Away Oni Demons

  • Kabuki Actors Ichikawa Yaozō III as Fuwa No Banzaemon and Sakata Hangorō III as Kosodate No Kannonbō

  • Kabuki Actor Bandō Mitsugorō III as Katsura Kokingo Haruhisa in the Play Uruō Toshi Meika No Homare

  • Kabuki Actor Nakayama Tomisaburō I as Ohisa, Wife of Sazanami Tatsugorō, Actually Teriha, the Younger Sister of Sadatō

  • Daizo the Substitute

  • Sakata Hangorō III as the groom Abumizuri no Iwazō in Koriyama, actually Kurisaka Tarō Tomonori

  • Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Ōtomo no Kuronushi

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō I as Gongorō Kagemasa

  • Actor Segawa Tomisaburo II as the Geisha Asaka

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as Minase Rokurō Munezumi in a kamishimo

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VI as Mimana Yukinori in Otokoyama Oedo No Ishizue

  • Ichikawa Monnosuke II, Matsumoto Kōshirō IV, and Iwai Hanshirō IV

  • Kabuki Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Kujaku Saburō Narihira

  • Bandō Hikosaburō III as Kudōzaemon Suketsune

  • Ichikawa Omezō I in the Role of Yakko Ippei from the Play Koinyōbō Somewake Tazuna

  • The Actor Ichikawa Yaozō III

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as Kōtō no Naishi

  • Kabuki Actors Sawamura Sōjūrō and Segawa Kikunogō (adachi Reprint 1918–1923)

  • Bandō Hikosaburō III as Obiya Chōemon

  • Nakamura Nakazo II as Prince Koretaka Disguised in the Play Ōshukubai Koi no Hatsune

  • Kabuki Actor Tanimura Torazō I as Kataoka Kōemon

  • Bandō Hikosaburō III in the Role of Obiya Chōemon and Iwai Hanshiro IV in the Role of Shinanoya Ohan

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as Shinozuka Gorō

  • Segawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"

  • Ichikawa Omezō I as Tomita Hyōtarō, and Ōtani Oniji II as Kawashima Jibugorō

  • Kabuki Actor Osagawa Tsuneyo II, Possibly in the Rôle of Ippei's Sister Osan

  • Nakamura Nakazō II, also called Sakaiya Shūkaku

  • Ebisu

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as the pilgrim Otoma, daughter of Ohina from Inamuragasaki in Kamakura

  • The Actor Segawa Tomisaburo II as the Otomos' Maid Wakakusa, Actually Prince Korehito

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as the monk Saihō no Mida Jirō, actually Sagami Jirō Tokiyuki

  • Actor Nakayama Tomisaburō I as Ohisa, Wife of Sazanami Tatsugorō, Actually Teriha, the Younger Sister of Abe Sadatō (hosoban)

  • Actor Nakamura Kumetaro II as Minato, the Wife of Yura Hyogonosuke

  • Ichikawa Yaozō III (R) and Nakayama Tomisaburō I (L) as Two Kamuro Performing a Lion Dance

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō as Kudō Saemon Suketsune

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō I as Ranmyaku No Kichi

  • Shinozuka Uraeimon as the Announcer at Miyako-za

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as Ōdate Sabanosuke Terukado

  • Sagawa Kikunojo III as the Courtesan Katsuragi,and Sawamura Sojuro

  • Kabuki Actor Onoe Matsusuke I as the Lay Priest Yuasa Magoroku

  • Segawa Kikunojo III in an Unidentified Role

  • Kubuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō as Takemura Sadanoshin

  • Morita Kan'ya VIII as Yura Hyōgonosuke

  • Nakajima Wadaemon I as Tanbaya Hachiemon

  • Ichikawa Omezō I as Tomita Hyōtarō

  • The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro as Banzuin Chobei

  • Ichikawa Tomiemon as Inokuma Monbei

  • Segawa Yūjirō II as the maid Otowa

  • Kabuki Actors Arashi Ryūzō I as Yakko Ukiyo Matabei and Ōtani Hiroji III as Yakko Tosa No Matabei

  • Nakajima Wadaemon I as Migawari no Jizō

  • Ichikawa Danjūrō VI as Soga no Gorō Tokimune

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as Otoma, Daughter of Ohina from Inamuragasaki in Kamakura, actually Kikusui, the wife of Kusunoki Masashige

  • Segawa Kikujuro Iii as Oshizu, Wife of Tanabe Bunzo

  • Arashi Ryūzō I as Ishibe Kinkichi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"

  • Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Yaozō III as Hachiman Tarō Minamoto No Yoshiie (tachibanaya Chusha)

  • Kabuki Actor Nakayama Tomisaburō I as the Cowherd Ofude in Otokoyama Oedo No Ishizue

  • Sawamura Sojuro III as Nagoya Sanza

  • Segawa Kikunojō III as the Courtesan Katsuragi

  • Matsusuke Onoe I as Matsushita Mikinoshinn

  • Ōtani Oniji III in the Role of the Servant Edobei

  • Kabuki Actor Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Soga Jūrō Sukenari

  • Kabuki Actor Segawa Kikunojō III as the Shirabyōshi Hisakata of Miyako Kujō

  • Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as the hick spendthrift from Yamato, actually Ninokuchimura Magoemon

  • Nakayama Tomisaburō I as a Kamuro Performing a Lion Dance

  • Kabuki Actor Nakamura Nakazō II as Aramaki Mimishirō Kanetora in Uruō Toshi Meika No Homare

  • Kabuki Actor Nakayama Tomisaburō I as Ohisa, Wife of Sazanami Tatsugorō, Actually Teriha, the Younger Sister of Sadatō (aiban)

  • Kabuki Actor Sawamura Sojurō Iii as Ogishi Kurando

  • Sakata Hangorō III as Fujikawa Mizuemon in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"

  • Arashi Ryūzō and Morita Kan'ya VIII

  • Ichikawa Ebizō as the itinerant monk Ryōzan

  • Actor Segawa Tomisaburo II as the Courtesan Toyama and Actor Ichikawa Kurizo as Higashiyama Yoshiwakamaru

  • Bandō Hikosaburō III as Godai Saburō Chikatada

  • Kabuki Actor Morita Kanya VIII as Uguisu No Jirōsaku in the Play Katakiuchi Noriaibanashi

  • Bandō Mitsugorō II as Ishii Genzō in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as the wet nurse Shigenoi

  • Ichikawa Komazō III as Nitta Yoshisada

  • Ichikawa Yaozō III as Fuwa Banzaemon

  • Ichikawa Yaozō III as the sparrow-seller Yasukata, actually Chūzō Sanekata

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as O-Han of the Shinanoya

  • Sawamura Yodogorō II and Bandō Zenji as Kawatsura Hōgen and Onisadobō in the Play "Koinyōbō Somewake Tazuna"

  • Kabuki Actor Arashi Ryūzō II as the Manservant Namihei (toraya Toramaru)

  • Kabuki Actor Ōtani Tokuji as Monogusa Tarō

  • Kabuki Actors Ōtani Oniji III and Ichikawa Omezō I

  • Iwai Hanshirō IV as San, the maid servant of Ukiyonosuke, actually Saeda, the younger sister of Sabanosuke

  • Nakajima Kanzō as Negoto no Chōzō

  • Morita Kan'ya VIII as Genkaibō Ajari

Membership

Sharaku was a member of the Katsukawa school.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• Muneshige Narazaki: "Sharaku was able to depict, within a single print, two or three levels of character revealed in the single moment of action forming the climax to a scene or performance."

References

• Toshusai Sharaku edo kara awa no kuni e feedback rekishi wo kaeru coaching series
• Toshusai Sharaku (worked 1794-1795)
• Sharaku's Japanese Theater Prints