Untitled

Torii Kiyomasu I

ca. 1716 · Woodblock print (tan-e); ink and color on paper · Asian Art

A successor of Kiyonobu, Kiyomasu carried on the Torii tradition of theatrical print production. In this announcement for a play, the actor Nakamura Senya portrays a woman walking under an open umbrella who has turned to look at an old plum tree in blossom. Kiyomasu's style captures the vibrancy of his master's line, but it is equally attentive to the restrained elegance of the Kaigetsudō masters. His graceful subject is ornamented by the decorative color patterning in the robe and vibrantly striated umbrella, which suggests a great awareness of the role of color in the overall composition

Artist

Torii Kiyomasu I

Date

ca. 1716

Medium

Woodblock print (tan-e); ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and Rogers Fund, 1949