three sheets joined together; portrait of a scowling man with brown beard, moustache and long hair gathered in a yellow tie; man has hands on sides and leans slightly forward; garment has brown ground and brightly-colored pattern with a yellow dragon and purple, green and blue clouds; black ground; large peach-colored moon, ULC

Moon: Actor Ichikawa Sanshō as Kezori Kuemon, 1890

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The Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (1838–1903) is portrayed as Kezori Kuemon, a real smuggler who became the subject of puppet and Kabuki plays. Kezori is the captain of a Japanese pirate ship and typically wears a Chinese-inspired costume decorated with dragons and jewels. He is depicted here in the moonlight waiting for a boat with illicit goods. Yoshitoshi emphasizes his power by setting his extravagant appearance on a plain background alongside a simple moon disk.

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Details
Title
Moon: Actor Ichikawa Sanshō as Kezori Kuemon
Artist Life
1839 - 1892
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.106.239
Catalogue Raisonne
Keyes, Courage and Silence (1982), no. 517.2; Iwakiri, Yoshitoshi (2014), fig. 308, p. 300.
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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three sheets joined together; portrait of a scowling man with brown beard, moustache and long hair gathered in a yellow tie; man has hands on sides and leans slightly forward; garment has brown ground and brightly-colored pattern with a yellow dragon and purple, green and blue clouds; black ground; large peach-colored moon, ULC