ORIGINAL TOYOKUNI III KUNISADA JAPANESE WOODBLOCK DIPTYCH C.1850S, EDO PERIOD MUSEUM-QUALITY KABUKI

拍品描述

An exceptional and highly collectible original Edo-period Japanese woodblock diptych by Toyokuni III (Utagawa Kunisada, 1786?1865), the undisputed master of Kabuki actor portraiture and one of the most celebrated ukiyo-e artists of nineteenth-century Japan. This complete two-sheet composition depicts celebrated members of the great Kabuki acting dynasties of Edo Japan, including renowned actors of the Matsumoto, Ichikawa, Onoe, and related theatrical lineages. The work serves as both an artistic achievement and an important visual record of Japan's theatrical culture during the final decades of the Edo Period. Unlike single-sheet actor portraits that regularly appear on the market, this offering preserves the original diptych format, allowing the collector to appreciate the full scope of Kunisada's design. The use of rich Prussian blue pigments, vibrant vermilion reserves, and exquisitely rendered facial expressions demonstrate the artist's mastery of the yakusha-e tradition, the genre devoted to portraits of Kabuki actors. Toyokuni III dominated the Japanese print world during the mid-nineteenth century and was the most commercially successful ukiyo-e artist of his generation. His actor prints were avidly collected during his lifetime and remain among the most sought-after works in the field today. The diptych is double matted and attractively housed in a custom frame. It will present beautifully for display in collections focused on Japanese art, Asian antiques, theater history, or museum-quality decorative arts. This diptych was acquired from TK Asian Antiquities is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Michael C. Teller IV of TK Asian Antiquities identifying these prints as original Toyokuni III woodblock impressions dating to the 1850s. Without frame, each print measures 9.75 inches x 13.75 inches. With both pieces framed together, the entire piece measures 26 inches x 30 inches.

图片