This portrait depicts a dressing room manager, supposedly Shinozuka Uraemon, unfolds the rolled pamphlet and starts announcing the name of the next kyogen title, actors names, and characters names. The dressing room manager’s role is not only making an announcement but also supervises the entire dressing rooms and directs the stage as a stage manager. It is supposedly the person used to be not a leading actor, but well-knows the plays, old customs, and manners did this role. In addition to that, elder actor who can manipulates other actors took this position. From his facial expression, we can recognize his age clearly: we are just amazed Sharaku’s notable depiction skills. We assume that this portrait is enough us to convince that Sharaku has world’s class technique as a portrait painter. Furthermore, Sharaku adds profoundness and depth into the screen using only yellowish brown in kamishimo ceremonial kimono and navy in kimono: we just admire his sensitivity of colors with a sigh.

 

 

Sharaku Toshusai(birth and death dates unknown)

Birth and death dates unknown.

In 1794 (Kansei 6), Sharaku came into sudden prominence, produced more than 140 ukiyo-e paintings during the mere ten months of his activity as an ukiyo-e painter, and then disappeared forever. For his debut work, he used the large, o-ban printing size, and expensive biotitic background printing, which was unusual. Juzaburo Tsutaya, a publisher, enthusiastically promoted Sharaku after Utamaro had left him. Meanwhile, the printing size was getting smaller. One of the major reasons for this was that Sharaku’s way of drawing actors as they were, regardless of their popularity, was not accepted by people of the era. However, each of his portraits is full of energetic impression and gives a positive impact. Because of this, he also received high acclaim from abroad.

 

Selections of Sharaku Toshusai

Sharaku Toshusai(birth and death dates unknown)

One of the reasons why Sharaku’s works are precious is that so few exist. Unfortunately, his art was recognized abroad before it gained popularity in Japan. While the Japanese were blind to his talent, many of the works ended up abroad and were praised. Some of the works were brought back to Japan as part of the Matsukata Collection in 1943 (Showa 18), which increased the number of his popular works in Japan. These forty works were reissued from the collection. Each of them represents one of Sharaku’s great masterpieces.