The actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as the monk Shunkan, by Katsukawa

An image of The actor Ichikawa Danjûrô V as the monk Shunkan. Shunshô, Katsukawa (Japanese, c.1726-92). Colour print from woodblocks. Hosoban, 315 x 151. Signed: Shunshô ga. c.1775. Ukiyo-e.
Notes: Shunkan, head monk of the Kyoto temple Hôshô-ji, was exiled in 1177 to the remote island of Kikaigajima for his part in an unsuccessful plot against the ruling Taira clan’s domination of court and government. Though his fellow conspirators were soon pardoned, Shunkan was left on the island to die. His plight became the basis for a medieval nô play and for many more elaborate later versions for bunraku (puppet theatre) and kabuki. In the kabuki version Shunkan escapes from the island on a secret mission to guard the emperor’s concubine Kogô no Tsubone while she gives birth to a royal heir in a remote retreat at Horagadake. As midwife Shunkan enlists the services of Oyasu, a girl from the local village who is a secret supporter of the Genji cause. To persuade Shunkan and the noblewoman that she can be trusted with the secret of their true identities, Oyasu is about to swear an oath of secrecy on a pair of metal hand-mirrors, just as a warrior would swear an oath on his sword. Shunkan, fearful of revealing his secret, catches hold of her hand, but as he catches sight of his aged and careworn features in one of the mirrors he is overcome and inadvertently lets slip the story of his lonely exile. This print shows the moment when Shunkan lets slip his identity, holding the mirrors in either hand. It may be part of a diptych, with the missing sheet showing Oyasu. Shunshô combined Shunkan and Oyasu in one print showing the same moment, designed on the occasion of the performance of Hime komatsu ne no hi asobi (Outing to pick pine seedlings on the rat-day of the New Year) at the Ichimura Theatre in the ninth month of 1768, with Sawamura Sôjurô II as Shunkan. A very similar design to the present print appears in a print by Shunshô’s pupil Shunkô (1743-1812), showing Nakamura

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The actor Ichikawa Danjûrô V as the monk Shunkan. Shunshô, Katsukawa (Japanese, c.1726-92). Colour print from woodblocks. Hosoban, 315 x 151. Signed: Shunshô ga. c.1775. Ukiyo-e. Notes: Shunkan, head monk of the Kyoto temple Hôshô-ji, was exiled in 1177 to the remote island of Kikaigajima for his part in an unsuccessful plot against the ruling Taira clan’s domination of court and government. Though his fellow conspirators were soon pardoned, Shunkan was left on the island to die. His plight became the basis for a medieval nô play and for many more elaborate later versions for bunraku (puppet theatre) and kabuki. In the kabuki version Shunkan escapes from the island on a secret mission to guard the emperor’s concubine Kogô no Tsubone while she gives birth to a royal heir in a remote retreat at Horagadake. As midwife Shunkan enlists the services of Oyasu, a girl from the local village who is a secret supporter of the Genji cause. To persuade Shunkan and the noblewoman that she can be trusted with the secret of their true identities, Oyasu is about to swear an oath of secrecy on a pair of metal hand-mirrors, just as a warrior would swear an oath on his sword. Shunkan, fearful of revealing his secret, catches hold of her hand, but as he catches sight of his aged and careworn features in one of the mirrors he is overcome and inadvertently lets slip the story of his lonely exile. This print shows the moment when Shunkan lets slip his identity, holding the mirrors in either hand. It may be part of a diptych, with the missing sheet showing Oyasu. Shunshô combined Shunkan and Oyasu in one print showing the same moment, designed on the occasion of the performance of Hime komatsu ne no hi asobi (Outing to pick pine seedlings on the rat-day of the New Year) at the Ichimura Theatre in the ninth month of 1768, with Sawamura Sôjurô II as Shunkan. A very similar design to the present print appears in a print by Shunshô’s pupil Shunkô (1743-1812), showing Nakamura

Image data

Accession Number: P.3666-R
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/16.0
Focal length: 80
Camera: Hasselblad H4D-31
Photographer name: Michael Jones
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 489 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 522.60kB
Exposure time: 1/60
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 16/1
Captured: 2015:12:14 16:18:43

Key words

18th Century acting actor actors colour printing costume Fitz_PDP hosoban Japanese Katsukawa Shuncho male monks performance performer performing print role theatre theatrical ukiyo-e woodblock woodcut

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            "The actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as the monk Shunkan, by Katsukawa"
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