Actor Segawa Kikunojo

This work is a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print created by Toyokuni I at the end of his life. It depicts a Kabuki actor inside a palanquin reading a scroll.

Toyokuni I, one of the great ukiyo-e artists of the late 18th century, was the son of a woodcarver. His artistic training began in Edo around 1782 in the workshop of Toyoharu. From 1786 onward, he worked illustrating books and stories, but his most outstanding works are those portraying Kabuki actors. He aroused public admiration for his clear color palette and the broad strokes of his lines.