Which ukiyo-e artist created the print The Actor Ichikawa Ebizō as Takemura Sadanoshin?

Tōshūsai Sharaku created the ukiyo-e print The Actor Ichikawa Ebizō as Takemura Sadanoshin.

The print portrays the kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizō III in the role of Takemura Sadanoshin. Sharaku’s actor portraits are recognized for their forceful expressions, enlarged features, and refusal to smooth away individual characteristics. Instead of presenting an idealized beauty, he emphasized the theatrical personality of the performer.

Sharaku’s known career was extraordinarily brief, lasting mainly from 1794 to 1795. The prints were published in Edo by Tsutaya Jūsaburō, and the artist’s identity has remained a subject of debate, although the name Tōshūsai Sharaku is the standard attribution.

The title identifies both the performer and the role, which is important because kabuki actors often appeared in multiple dramatic parts. This work should not be confused with Sharaku’s portraits of other actors or with the wider category of yakusha-e, the term for actor prints.