Moon: Actor Ichikawa Sanshō as Kezori Kuemon
- Medium
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
- Dimensions
- 14 × 28 in. (35.56 × 71.12 cm) (sheet, vertical ōban triptych)
- Genre
Tags
Japan
About
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.