Utagawa Yoshiiku: Silhouette of the Actor Bandô Tarô

Artist: Ochiai (Utagawa) Yoshiiku (1833-1904)
Title: Actor Bando Taro

Series: Portraits as True Likenesses in the Moonlight  真寫月花の姿絵 
Date: 1867

Realistic shadow portrait of the actor Bando Taro. He was born in 1833 and started out on the Osaka stage before settling in Edo in 1862, receiving the name Kanamura Tsurusuke IV. He then took the name Ichikawa Kobunji I in 1864, before receiving the name of Bando Taro. He was apparently a versatile actor, able perform roles from villains to female roles.  The actor wrote a poem that may be seen in the beautiful script that ends with a red seal at left. With lovely woodgrain in the shadow.

This interesting series was inspired by popular shadow performances, which were performed in front of a sliding door with a bright light behind them, as well as the development of photographs by camera.  Yoshiiku created this series of works that portray the silhouettes of 36 famous actors, comparing them to the 36 Immortal Poets. They seem to have been done from life, with the actors actually sitting for their portraits behind a screen, as this is illustrated in the preface for the series. It is unusual in ukiyo-e to see actors portrayed in a way that may be today considered “realistic”, as features were generally stylized within certain artistic conventions. Above  right we see the actor in a more conventional portrait within a flower-shaped cartouche. A related poem is above, perhaps written or inspired by the actor. 

Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. Some areas of tiny wormage and a narrow strip of paper has been affixed verso to the very edge of the paper at right. Dimensions: ôban (36.3 x 23 cm)
Publisher: Maruya Tokuzo
Literature:  See MFA Boston for other works from this series. 

Signature: Ikkeisai Yoshiiku hitsu

SKU: YII050