An is a Japanese

portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...

print or

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

in the

ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...

genre showing only the head or the head and upper torso. Katsukawa Shunkō I (1743–1812) is generally credited with producing the first ōkubi-e. He, along with

Katsukawa Shunshō Shunshō Katsukawa ( ja, 勝川春章; 1726 – 19 January 1793) was a Japanese painter and printmaker in the ''ukiyo-e'' style, and the leading artist of the Katsukawa school. Shunshō studied under Miyagawa Shunsui, son and student of Miy ...

, designed ōkubi-e of male

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought to ...

actors. In the early-1790s,

Utamaro Kitagawa Utamaro ( ja, 喜多川歌麿; – 31 October 1806) was a Japanese artist. He is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his ''bijin ōkubi-e'' "large-headed ...

designed the first ōkubi-e of beautiful women (''

bijin-ga is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women () in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre. Definition defines as a picture that simply "emphasizes the beauty of women", and the ''Shincho Encyclopedia of W ...

ōkubi-e''). The

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

authorities banned ōkubi-e in 1800, but the ban was lifted after eight years.

Gallery

Large head portrait (okubi-e) of kabuki actor Matsumoto Kôshirô IV as Tsurunosuke by Katsukawa Shunko I.JPG, Ōkubi-e of

actor

Matsumoto Kōshirō IV Matsumoto (松本 or 松元, "base of the pine tree") may refer to: Places * Matsumoto, Nagano (松本市), a city ** Matsumoto Airport, an airport southwest of Matsumoto, Nagano * Matsumoto, Kagoshima (松元町), a former town now part of the c ...

as Tsurunosuke, a

woodblock print Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper. Each page or image is create ...

Katsukawa Shunkō I Katsukawa Shunkō I ( ja, 勝川春好; 1743 – 1 December 1812) was a Japanese artist who designed ukiyo-e-style woodblock prints and paintings in Edo (modern Tokyo). He was a student of Katsukawa Shunshō, and is generally credit ...

Kunimasa - taikan, The actor Ichikawa Ebizo in a shibaraku role, 1796.jpg, Woodblock print by

Utagawa Kunimasa was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Utagawa school. He was originally from Aizu in Iwashiro Province and first worked in a dye shop after arriving in Edo (modern Tokyo). It was there that he was noticed by Utagawa Toyokuni, to whom he bec ...

of kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizō in a

shibaraku ''Shibaraku'' (暫, しばらく) is a play in the Kabuki repertoire, and one of the celebrated ''Kabuki Jūhachiban'' ("Eighteen Great Plays"). The play is noted for its flamboyantly dramatic costumes and makeup (''kumadori''). {{citation need ...

role, 1796 Toshusai Sharaku- Otani Oniji, 1794.jpg, Nakazō Nakamura II as Edobee, woodblock print by

Sharaku Tōshūsai Sharaku ( ja, 東洲斎写楽; active 1794–1795) was a Japanese ukiyo-e print designer, known for his portraits of kabuki actors. Neither his true name nor the dates of his birth or death are known. His active career as a woodbloc ...

, 1794 Ase o fuku onna2.jpg, ''Woman Wiping Sweat'', woodblock print by

, 1798 File:'Portrait of Hagiwara Sakutarô', woodblock print by Onchi Kôshirô, 1943, 1st edition, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.jpg, ''Portrait of Hagiwara Sakutarō'',

Onchi Kōshirō Onchi (written: 恩地) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese film and television director *, Japanese print-maker {{Surname Japanese-language surnames ...

, 1943

References

* Newland, Amy Reigle. (2005). ''Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints.'' Amsterdam: Hotei.
OCLC 61666175
* Roberts, Laurance P. (1976). ''A Dictionary of Japanese Artists.'' New York: Weatherhill.
OCLC 2005932
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okubi-E Ukiyo-e genres