The actor Sawamura Sojuro III as the hairdresser Jirokichi

Sawamura Sōjūrō III was a renowned tachiyaku, or specialist in male roles. A fixture of the stage for some thirty years, from 1771 until 1801, Sōjūrō excelled at portraying gentle romantic leads (wagotoshi), warriors (budōgoto), and men of good character (jitsugotoshi). In this sheet, the left side of a diptych, Sōjūrō plays a character of the first type, a young hairdresser named Jirokichi. The play is Shinoda chōjabashira, performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eighth month of 1781. Shunshō’s complete diptych paired Sōjūrō with the onnagata Iwai Hanshirō IV in the role of Mitsuōgiya Usugumo. An impression of the diptych’s right half is preserved in the Buckingham Collection of The Art Institute of Chicago (1925.2459).
The Grabhorn print is exceptionally well preserved. Sōjūrō wears a simple black robe secured with a wide, striped sash, and feminine pink liners show at his hem and sleeve openings. The case over his shoulder presumably contains the tools of his trade, covered by a cloth printed in dayflower blue pigment.