Chikashige Morikawa, Tale of Soga Brothers, Kabuki Theatre
Artist: Chikashige Morikawa (1869-1880s)
Title: Kabuki play, Tale of Soga Brothers
Publisher: Hayashi Kichizo
Date: 1881
Size: (L)36 x 22.8 (C)36 x 24.5 (R)36 x 24.9cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
A particularly favourite subject in ukiyo-e, 'The Soga Brothers' follows two brothers seeking to avenge their murdered father, recounting their trials and hardships along the way. When they were only young boys, their father was murdered by the retinue of Kudo Suketsune, a retainer of a twelfth-century warlord.
Chikashige Morikawa
Chikashige was a pupil of Kunichika Toyohara and specialised in Yakusha-e (actor prints). His woodblock prints were similar in style to that of his teacher. Chikashige was active in the Meiji period at a time when the ukiyo-e industry was declining. He took on many side jobs to subsidise his own artworks, including illustrations for books and magazines, a common practice for many Japanese woodblock print artists at the time. Although best known for his Kabuki actor prints, he also produced successful prints of the Meiji Imperial court.
| Print Format | Triptych |
|---|---|
| Artist | Chikashige Morikawa |
| Subject | Kabuki Theatre |
| Dimensions | (L)36 x 22.8 (C)36 x 24.5 (R)36 x 24.9cm |
| Condition Report | Slight wear and tears, minor creases, paper residue on the back, minor stain on the centre panel. |
