SHARAKU
Heiseikan Special Exhibition Galleries : May 1, 2011 (Sun) - June 12, 2011 (Sun)
MAY, 1794. An unknown artist emerges, stunning the ukiyo-e world with a lavish series of 28 mica-printed Kabuki actor portraits. Over 140 prints later, he disappears again the following January. His name? Toshusai Sharaku.
The appeal of Sharaku's prints, however, is no mere by-product of this enigma: the emphatic, abbreviated style which struck a chord among his contemporaries continues to fascinate even today. This exhibition will explore the intriguing elements of his expression and the sources of his creativity, all the while highlighting the distinctive artistic qualities of his work.