Kabuki Theater (Translation)
歌舞伎座 大正十四年 (Primary Title)

Kawase Hasui 川瀬巴水, Japanese, 1883 - 1957 (Artist)
Isetatsu, Japanese, est. 1864 (Publisher)

May 1926
Japanese
Prints
Works On Paper
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Sheet: 14 1/2 × 10 1/16 in. (36.83 × 25.56 cm)
Plate: 13 1/8 × 8 15/16 in. (33.34 × 22.7 cm)
Mat: 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.64 cm)
2017.563
Not on view

Travelers to Japan in 1925 would not have missed the newly expanded Kabuki theater in Ginza of central Tokyo. Originally constructed in 1889, this cultural landmark is the leading Kabuki theater in Tokyo today. First staged in the 16th century, Kabuku’s history spans more than four hundred years. Instead of the glorious facade of the theater, here Hasui depicted this castle-style structure featuring overhanging sloping roofs and solid walls, which are also visible in the reflection of the water. The dazzling evening lights convey the dance and music inside along with the acclaims of an exhilarated audience.

Taisho period (1912-1926)
巴水 Hasui
Artist's seal; Publisher's mark 双作版畫會 版元伊せ辰
歌舞伎座 大正十四年五月作
René and Carolyn Balcer Collection
Brown, Kendall. Water and Shadow: Kawase Hasui and Japanese Landscape Prints. Richmond: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2014.

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