An Actor of the Ichikawa Family Scattering Beans during the Setsubun Festival to Drive Out Evil Spirits
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.The first generation of innovative Torii school print artists, active from the end of the seventeenth to the early eighteenth century, established dominance in the portrayal of actors of the Kabuki stage. Initially, there was little concern with trying to capture actual facial characteristics, and identities were indicated by actors’ crests incorporated into the design. This dynamic and boldly hand-colored print is meant to represent an Ichikawa family actor—perhaps Danjūrō I (1660–1704). He is shown performing a ritual exorcism at the Setsubun (Spring Equinox) festival, when dried soybeans were scattered while people shouted “Demons begone! Good luck enter!” (Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi).
Artwork Details
- 伝鳥居清倍画 市川役者の鬼払豆
- Title: An Actor of the Ichikawa Family Scattering Beans during the Setsubun Festival to Drive Out Evil Spirits
- Artist: Attributed to Torii Kiyomasu I (Japanese, active 1696–1716)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: ca. 1709–15
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Woodblock print (tan-e); vertical ō-ōban
- Dimensions: Frame: 26 3/4 × 18 1/4 in. (67.9 × 46.4 cm)
Image: 21 in. × 12 3/4 in. (53.3 × 32.4 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Lent by Lee E. Dirks
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art