Ichikawa Ebizō IV (Danjurō) as Takemura Sadanoshin in The Loving Wife's Parti-Colored Reins

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

Ichikawa Ebizō IV’s (1741–1806) character, an actor called Takemura Sadanoshin, is permitted to perform opposite his daughter so he can see and hear her for the last time before her banishment for a forbidden love affair. This design belongs to a category of Japanese prints called “actor images” ( yakusha - e or 役者絵). They were collected by fans of popular Kabuki actors. Kabuki is a kind of entertainment that got its start in the early Edo period, evolving from dance performances with simple storylines to long plays with complex plots, elaborate sets, and full musical accompaniments. Performers wear showy costumes and heavy makeup and strike poses called mie at critical moments in the narrative. Dialogue is spoken in a stylized way that resembles singing. A member of the famous Ichikawa acting family, Ebizo IV is recognized here by his family crest of three nested boxes, visible on his robes.