A work by Tōshūsai Sharaku. It is based on the play "Koijōsomewake Tazuna," which was performed at the Kawarazaki Theater in Edo on May 5th in the 6th year of the Kansei era. In the play, set at Shijō Kawara, Edohei, the villain, ambushes Ippei, played by Ichikawa Danjūrō, at the request of Washuzuka Hachiroku and robs him of the public funds. The portrayal of Edohei, with his chin jutted out and glaring upward, is deliberately contrasted against Ippei. From his unevenly depicted hands emanates a palpable menace.
The design is in a standard color that remains faithful to the original artwork.
Size (mm)
S: Width 450 × Height 640
M: Width 750 × Height 1070
L: Width 1000 × Height 1420
Note: Tōshūsai Sharaku is one of the most famous ukiyo-e artists in Japan, known for his distinctive and dramatic kabuki actor portraits. The events described pertain to the plot of a kabuki play.