Portrait of Yada Gorosaemon Suketake
Original title: Portrait of Yada Gorosaemon Suketake
kurzbeschreibung
Utagawa Kuniyoshi made this portrait of Yada Gorosaemon Suketake in 1852 as a colour woodblock print. It belongs to his series 'Heroes of the Suikoden' and shows a samurai in traditional dress with a sword against a wintry setting.
Description
The samurai wears a red cap with a black rim and a black jacket patterned in red and white. One hand grips the blue hilt of a sword, and his gaze is lowered. Snow-covered trees and branches rise behind him, giving the image its winter mood. Blue, red, black and white dominate the palette, with yellow accents here and there. The sword anchors the picture's dynamic arrangement.
Context
This print dates from 1852, late in the Edo period, when Kuniyoshi was producing his series of hero portraits drawn from the Chinese novel 'The Water Margin'. Such prints were enormously popular with the public and were meant to embody courage and honour. The series worked under the censorship of the day, which looked favourably on historical subjects.
Impact
Strong colours and clear outlines give the portrait a dramatic presence. The snowy setting and the lowered gaze create a reflective mood, so that the hero appears grave and resolute.
Technique
This ukiyo-e sheet was produced as a woodblock print in ink and colour on paper. The design is transferred to wooden blocks, which are inked and then pressed onto the paper. The precise lines and colour gradations show the high level of care taken in the printing process.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)