Paul Binnie, Scottish, b. 1967

Ichikawa Danjuro in Shibaraku
(Danjuro no Shibaraku)

finely printed with contrasting burnishing on parts of the actor's wig and gofun around the eyes; signed at upper right corner, Binnie, followed by artist's red kanji seal, Bin-ni; with date seal on upper right margin, Heisei hachi nen (Heisei 8 [1996), numbered in pencil below 44/100, the title on the lower right margin, Ichikawa Danjuro, Shibaraku, and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, Paul Binnie, ca. February - March 1996

oban tate-e 1/2 by 12 5/8 in.
44.5 by 32 cm

The Shibaraku ('wait a moment') role, long the mainstay of the Danjuro line of actors, is arguably the most famous of all kabuki roles, not only for its popularity amongst the fans (representing a moment of high tension within a play), but also because the costume and make-up translate so well graphicially into two-dimensional compositions. But perhaps what is most striking about this interpretation is that in addition to utilizing the bold colors and lines of the costume to create a strong composition, Binnie also manages to capture a sensitive portrait of the actor himself.

Reference: Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 76, no. 34

$650