Hokuei Shumbaisai (active 1829 - 1836) The Actor Seki Sanjuro, 1830. Oban.
Hokuei Shumbaisai had one of the shortest careers of any of the major Osaka print artists. He was a pupil of Hokushu and one of the great and expressive Osaka print artists of the the 1830’s - the so called 'third period'. Pre-dating the great triumphs of Hirosada, Hokuei retains some of the 'primitive' virtues of the eighteenth century Edo schools but with a flamboyance and baroqueness that is also very modern.
This piece has outstanding colour for the period and shows the actor Seki Sanjuro in the role of a peasant. A beautiful, stylised landscape behind the figure is set off by the baroque cartouche above on the right hand side. A rare print that does not appear in the literature.
Colour, impression and condition are all fine.
Published by Tenki.
36.5 x 24.5 cm.
