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Experience the full scope of Sharaku, the ukiyo-e master discovered by publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo
The Best of Sharaku: Selected Works
Toshusai Sharaku, the master of ukiyo-e introduced to the world outside Japan by the German art historian Julius Kurth, remains widely beloved today. However, despite his fame, he remains an enigmatic artist shrouded in mystery.
In just ten months starting in May 1794, Sharaku produced over 140 works. He is best known for his iconic yakusha-e portraits, bold and expressive depictions of actors from the chest up, but these account for only 28 prints from the beginning of his career. Sharaku’s oeuvre is generally divided into four periods based on the evolution of his style, and only by viewing every phase can one truly appreciate the full power of his artistic vision. The Best of Sharaku: Selected Works is a thoughtfully curated set of 20 prints, offering a definitive ukiyo-e collection that presents a comprehensive overview of this elusive master.
Only in the Adachi Edition can all of these works be seen together
Sharaku’s works, which have captivated viewers around the world, began entering overseas collections as early as the Meiji era (1868–1912). Some prints survive in only a single known impression, making it extremely difficult to grasp the full scope of his oeuvre. Motivated by a deep love for Sharaku’s art,
Toyohisa Adachi, founder of the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, launched a project to faithfully reproduce all of Sharaku’s known works scattered across the globe, in the hope of bringing them together and sharing their true appeal with a wider audience.In 1984, more than thirty years after the project began, the full set of 142 prints was finally completed.
This reproduction project, which made the miraculous achievement of assembling all of Sharaku’s works possible, was acclaimed both in Japan and abroad for its scholarly value. It also laid the foundation for the Adachi Edition of reproduced ukiyo-e, in which each print is meticulously hand-crafted using the same techniques as in the Edo period (1603-1868). To this day, it remains one of the most meaningful undertakings for us at the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints.
Toshusai Sharaku (active 1794-95)
Sharaku was a remarkable ukiyo-e artist who appeared seemingly out of nowhere – like a comet – and disappeared just as suddenly. Working under the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, he produced more than 140 prints in the remarkably short span of just ten months, between May 1794 and January 1795. It is said that the brevity of his career may have been due to the unflinching realism of his portraits, which conveyed actors’ distinctive
personalities without idealization––an approach that proved difficult for audiences of his day to accept.
Nonetheless, his dynamic portrayals remain strikingly fresh even to our contemporary eyes. In the early 20th century, Sharaku’s work gained international recognition, thanks in large part to the German art historian Julius Kurth, whose book Sharaku introduced his prints to audiences abroad.
◇ See all 20 selected works of Sharaku ◇
二代目坂東三津五郎 石井源蔵
The actor Segawa TomisaburoⅡ as Yadorigi, the Wife of Ogishi Kurando
The actor Arashi Ryuzo as Ishibe no Kinkichi
The Actor Ichikawa KomazoⅢas Shiga Daishichi
The Actor Matsumoto Yonesaburo as Shinobu
The Actor Matsumoto KoshiroⅣ as Fishmonger Gorobei of Sanya
The Actors Nakajima Wadaemon as Bodara Chozaemon, and Nakamura Konozo as Gon of the boat-keeper, Kanagawaya
The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo as Takemura Sadanoshin
The Actor Ichikawa Omezo as Ippei, a Manservant
The Actor Otani Oniji III as Edobei
The Actors Sawamura Soujuro Ⅲ as Nagoya Sanza Motoharu, and Segawa Kikunojo Ⅲ as the Courtesan Katsuragi
The Actor Arashi Ryuzo Ⅱ as Ukiyo Matabei, the Servant of Fuwa
The Actor Ichikawa Ebizo as Ranmyaku no Kichi
The Actors Ichikawa Komazo Ⅲ as Kameya Chubei, and Nakayama Tomisaburo Ⅰ as the Courtesan Umegawa of Shinmachi
The Actor Matsumoto Yonesaburo as the Maid Otsuyu
The Actor Ichikawa Komazo Ⅲ as Shinozuka Goro Sadatsuna
Toraya Toramaru (The Actors Arashi Ryuzo Ⅱ as the Manservant Namihei)
Hamamuraya Roko (The Actors Segawa Kikunojo Ⅲ as the Maid Ohama)
Daidozan Performing the Ring Entering Ceremony
The Actor Segawa Yujiro Ⅱ as the Maid Otowa of the Matsuya
The Best of Sharaku: 20 Selected Works of Sharaku
¥300,000
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The Best of Sharaku: 20 Selected Works of Sharaku
The set includes below.
・A total of 20 ukiyo-e reproduction prints（12 Oban-format prints, 5 Hosoban-format prints, and 3 Aiban-format prints）
・"Tato" Cloth Box
・1 free frame
・Matboard
Price
Sale price¥300,000
Regular price¥382,000
Save ¥82,000
Quantity:
| Size/Weight | Print Size: [Oban-format] Approx. 39.0 × 26.0 cm each prints, [Hosoban-format] Approx. 33.0 × 23.0 cm each prints, [Aiban-format] Approx. 33.0 × 15.0 cm each prints |
| Material | Paper: Echizen Kizuki Hosho Washi made by Living National Treasure, Ichibei Iwano |
| Feature | Type of print: Woodcut Print |
| Notes | This product includes: ・Explanations of the work for each design in Japanese ・A leaflet to introduce the production process of ukiyo-e print We will ship the order within 1 months under normal circumstances. |
[Bonus feature]: 1 free frame.
The order for domestic destination(inside of Japan) is shipped by Yamato Transport and international destination (outside of Japan) is shipped by either FedEx or Japan Post's EMS (Express Mail Service).
Domestic Shipping (Inside of Japan)
Yamato Transport Co., Ltd.
You can choose the delivery date and time window. Shipping fee is 700 yen for any destination inside of Japan.
<Free Shipping Service>*Domestic destination only
Free Shipping is available when a total of purchase is over 50,000 yen (for one destination) .
If you would like to choose the delivery date and time window, please fill the column of "Request of Delivery Date". Please note that only the date five business day after your order can be chosen and also this service might be canceled under some circumstances. Please ask us for details.
International Shipping (outside of Japan)
FedEx
Delivery dates are varied depending on the destination countries and areas.
EMS international shipping service may be used for the area which has no or limited FedEx delivery.
Actual shipping fee will be charged for the international delivery. (No free shipping over 50,000 yen purchase is applied for the international shipping.)
*No shipping is available on weekends.
Estimated Fee and delivery time
Area A : East Asia / Southeast Asia
Area B : North America / Indonesia
Area C : Europe / Middle East
Area D : Australia / New Zealand
Area E : South America / Africa / Other Areas
| Area | Delivery time | 1-5 Unframed Prints | One Framed Print |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3-6Days | ¥3,600 | 5,300 |
| B | 4-6Days | ¥4,000 | ¥6,000 |
| C | 4-7Days | ¥4,400 | ¥7,000 |
| D | 4-7Days | ¥6,500 | ¥8,000 |
| E | 4-7Days | ¥7,500 | ¥13,500 |
*Please read notes about international shipping
Customs
Please note that the customs may be charged to the consignee during the international shipping process. The customs' manner and fee are various depending on the country where the delivery destination is and the purchaser is required to be responsible for anything regarding customs. The purchaser is considered to agree with being responsible for customs when you place an order.
*FedEx offers the service to charge the custom to a purchaser (not a consignee) after the fee is fixed for the destination country. This service is useful when you would like to ship the item as a gift and do not want the consignee to pay for the custom. Please request us if you would like to use this service.
Toshusai Sharaku
Adachi's Philosophy and Mission
At Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, we create attractive works that are in keeping with the times while maintaining the basics of traditional woodcut printing techniques.
Adachi's Meticulous Quality and Materials
At Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, we use carefully selected materials and tools to bring out the original beauty of woodcut prints to the fullest.
Traditional Techniques and Adachi's Artisans
The production of ukiyo-e, which developed as a commercial printing method, focused on efficiency and profitability. And so, all processes are streamlined and sophisticated. We will introduce the basics of ukiyo-e techniques.
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