Katsukawa Shunsho marks a milestone
in the development of ukiyo-e for with his unprecedented
attempt at realism he singlehandedly revolutionized the Kabuki
print. Originally a pupil of Katsukawa Shunsui, a painter of beautful
women in the ukiyo-e style, Shunsho first began designing
prints when he fell under the influence of Harunobu. As a result,
most of his early prints were of bijin, and it was not
until the mid-1760's, when he drafted his initial series of actor
prints, that he found his true province.
It was not long before Edo's avid theater
fans began to identify his work on the basis of it's unmistakably
unique approach; whether Shunsho chose to depict an actor performing
on stage or lounging in his dressing room, he would be sure to
give him the individual traits and features that set his personality
apart from all the others. For the first time in history, Kabuki
audiences thrilled to the prospect of being able to recognize
their idols in a print, and Shunsho's bold departure from thr
traditionally stereotyped representation of actors was rewarded
with overnight fame. Heartened by the public's enthusiasm, he
started to design prints of non - Kabuki subjects and in
time became as adept at depicting the massive bulk of a sumo wrestler
as at sketching the slender lineaments of a celebrated beauty.
