Natori Shunsen
Encyclopedia
is considered by many to be the last master in the art of kabuki
yakusha-e
–literally, “actor pictures”. He was born in Yamanashi Prefecture
, but his family settled in Tokyo
shortly after his birth, and he remained there until his death in 1960.
Shunsen developed an interest in kabuki
actor portraits while working as an illustrator for the newspaper Asahi Shimbun
. During this time, he had the opportunity to meet the publisher Shozaburo Watanabe, who was the primary force behind the shin hanga
movement.
In 1925, Shunsen and Watanabe worked together on a series of 36 actor portraits. This series contains some of Shunsen's finest kabuki designs. Watanabe lavishly produced each print in a limited edition of 150 and sold them only by subscription. The series lasted through 1929, followed by a supplemental series of 15 actor prints produced through 1931.
Shunsen's actor portraits were mainly in the ōkubi-e
(large head) format which allowed him to focus on the expression and emotions of the character's face.
Shunsen continued to work as an artist in the kabuki
theater, but did not design any other actor prints until the early 1950s. From 1951 to 1954, he again collaborated with Watanabe on another series of 30 actor prints. Like the earlier series, these designs were beautifully printed and are very expressive, especially the ōkubi-e
portrait.
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
yakusha-e
Yakusha-e
Yakusha-e , often referred to as "actor prints" in English, are Japanese woodblock prints or, rarely, paintings, of kabuki actors, particularly those done in the ukiyo-e style popular through the Edo period and into the beginnings of the 20th century...
–literally, “actor pictures”. He was born in Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, but his family settled in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
shortly after his birth, and he remained there until his death in 1960.
Shunsen developed an interest in kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
actor portraits while working as an illustrator for the newspaper Asahi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
. During this time, he had the opportunity to meet the publisher Shozaburo Watanabe, who was the primary force behind the shin hanga
Shin hanga
was an art movement in early 20th-century Japan, during the Taishō and Shōwa periods, that revitalized traditional ukiyo-e art rooted in the Edo and Meiji periods...
movement.
In 1925, Shunsen and Watanabe worked together on a series of 36 actor portraits. This series contains some of Shunsen's finest kabuki designs. Watanabe lavishly produced each print in a limited edition of 150 and sold them only by subscription. The series lasted through 1929, followed by a supplemental series of 15 actor prints produced through 1931.
Shunsen's actor portraits were mainly in the ōkubi-e
Okubi-e
An ōkubi-e is a portrait print or painting showing only the head or the head and upper torso. Katsukawa Shunkō I is generally credited with producing the first ōkubi-e. He, along with Katsukawa Shunshō, only designed ōkubi-e of kabuki actors. In the early 1780s, Kitagawa Utamaro designed the...
(large head) format which allowed him to focus on the expression and emotions of the character's face.
Shunsen continued to work as an artist in the kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
theater, but did not design any other actor prints until the early 1950s. From 1951 to 1954, he again collaborated with Watanabe on another series of 30 actor prints. Like the earlier series, these designs were beautifully printed and are very expressive, especially the ōkubi-e
Okubi-e
An ōkubi-e is a portrait print or painting showing only the head or the head and upper torso. Katsukawa Shunkō I is generally credited with producing the first ōkubi-e. He, along with Katsukawa Shunshō, only designed ōkubi-e of kabuki actors. In the early 1780s, Kitagawa Utamaro designed the...
portrait.