| | Stockno.: | 11-242 | Artist: | Yamamura Kōka (Toyonari) (1885–1942) | Description: | The actor Morita Kanya XIII in the role of Jean Valjean, from the series Flowers of the Theatre. Published by Watanabe Shōzaburō in 1921.
This is one of the most haunting prints in the genre of 20th century kabuki portraits. Jean Valjean is the villain in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. A year earlier the kabuki actor Morita Kanya played Hamlet. It pleased the kabuki stars to show that they could perform in the Western plays as well.
| Signed: | Toyonari ga. | Size: | | Condition: | Fine impression, colour and condition. | Price: | €3600 SOLD | Reference: | Brown et al., Fresh Impressions (2013), cat. 208; The Male Image (Amsterdam, Nihon no hanga exh. cat. 6, 2011), fig. 8; Edo-Tokyo Mus., Edo-Tokyo Mus., Yomigaeru ukiyo-e (Beautiful Shin-hanga, 2009), #2-42; Chiba Mus., Nihon no hanga III (2001), #11 | | | |
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