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TOP > Postcards > Samurai & Men > #A03020008
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| Yakusha Hagaki: Antique Japanese Actor Postcard |
Covered in snow and weary, this samurai seems to have traveled a lot in the heavy weather. It is likely that this postcard represents Akechi Mitsuhide, one of the most famous or infamous (?) samurai from the wartime Japan (late sixteenth century).
Mitsuhide assassinated his master, Oda Nobunaga in 1582 and fled immediately after he set the temple of Honnoji on fire though he was caught soon after.
Nobunaga was the most powerful military commander of this period, and was about to conquer all the major lands of Japan when he was unexpectedly attacked by Mitsuhide.
A slight discoloration over the surface of the postcard.
story: Akechi Mitsuhide
actor: unknown
theatre: unknown
printed by: Ginza Kamigata-ya, Tokyo
| What is 'Yakusha Hagaki'? | Introduced in Japan in the 1850s, photography and its various techniques had developed rapidly, and by the end of the 19th century numerous successful photographers established commercial studios in large cities. Some of these avant-garde artists invited actors, geishas and courtesans and experimented with portrait photographs as a new medium to replace Ukiyo-e woodblock prints that had prevailed in the Edo period. By the turn of the century, such actor portraits circulated widely in the form of postcards - especially after 1900, when commercial postcards could be produced without government concession. The charm of 'Yakusha Hagaki' (postcards of actors) lies in the expressive faces and poses of the figures and in the tasteful photographic techniques that reflect the mood of the Meiji and Taisho periods. Their precious life-like illustrations help us gain insight into the unique costumes and lifestyles of Japanese in the past
What kinds of 'Yakusha Hagaki' are there?
The models of 'Yakusha Hagaki' are mainly Kabuki and Kyogen actors who were popular during the Meiji to Taisho period, but the roles that they play are based on medieval to Edo period stories and people. 'Yakusha Hagaki' can be categorized into two types: snapshots of the scenes of a play, and portraits. Portrait postcards are outstandingly beautiful and are fewer in number, for it requires laborious work and expensive studio techniques to produce them. Most of them are monochromatic, but there are a few coloured examples produced at a later date than monochrome types.
Who made them?
Most of the studios and productions that gave birth to 'Yakusha Hagaki' are from around the Meiji period. The studios, Tomboya and Kamigataya, were established by Yoshimura Kiyoshi in the early 20th century. Kashima Kiyobei opened Genrokukan Studio in 1895, and the other known ones are Yabuki-koshodo and Ueda Photographic Printing Production. Tomboya and Ueda Photographic Printing Production are larger establishments and they made a wider range of actor postcards than their competitors.
How do I enjoy them?
Since most 'Yakusha Hagaki' are postcards, one way to enjoy them is, of course, to use them. To write to somebody special perhaps on a special occasion. Displayed on walls or in photo stands, they can be extremely attractive home decor. When displayed in groups, the effect is particularly enhanced.
| July 23, 2002
Words by Yuriko Tasaka
CHUU Inc. |
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| Item # |
A03020008 |
| Country |
Japan |
| Age |
Early 20c |
| Size |
W:3 1/2", L:5 1/2"
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Price
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$10.00
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TOP > Postcards > Samurai & Men > #A03020008
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