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Sharaku is an artist about whom historians know very little. His true name as well as his birth and death dates are a mystery; still, he was one of the best known artists of actor prints, especially so-called “big heads.” These were close-up bust portraits of kabuki actors with exaggerated features, the purpose being to make the actors identifiable, similar to modern-day caricature drawings. This style deviated from that of previous artists, who tended more toward idealized beauty. Sharaku was not averse to showing unflattering details, and this was profitable because it allowed people to easily recognize the face of their favorite actors and collect prints of all of the kabuki characters that actor had portrayed.Label Type
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Portraits of kabuki actors were a lucrative business during the Edo period (1603-1867). Audiences would buy these portraits as souvenirs after seeing a show, and many people would collect portraits of all of the characters their favorite actors had played. This print depicts bust portraits of two kabuki actors, and shows Sharaku’s signature style of exaggerating the facial features of actors to make them identifiable. Another tool employed by Sharaku to make actors identifiable are the personalized logos that can be seen here on the sleeves of their garments–one in a circle, one in a square–which function like monograms. To really make the actors’ portraits standout, the background of this print has been dusted with dark gray ground mica (kuro-kirazuri) to add an eye-catching sparkle.