Yoshida Bungoro IV (1869-1962) was honored by the Japanese government as a “Living National Treasure.” He specialized in female roles, and is shown here holding a woman wearing the headscarf of a traveler.
Prof. Bruce Coats

This work is similar to a print by SEKINO Junichiro of YOSHIDA Bungoro, 1956.

The Japanese puppet theater tradition, also called Ningyo joruri, is a complex performance art, with musicians playing a 3-string shamisen and sometimes drums, a single chanter who both narrates the plays and provides all the dialogue voices, and the puppet handlers. The puppets are large, about half to two-thirds life size, and are usually manipulated by 3 people: one for the head and right arm, one for the body and left arm, and one for the legs and feet. The puppeteers carefully coordinate their actions to give the puppets life like movements and expressions.
Prof. Bruce Coats

ink and colors on paper

This object has the following keywords:

• Bunraku
• Japanese Art
• Performers
• Plays and Theatre

This object is a member of the following portfolios: