Danjuro V as a townsman

#Shunsho #danjuro #japanese #print

Female Beauty was not the major theme of ukiyo-e prints. Actors were another favorite topic.

This is Danjuro V playing an Edo townsman depicted by Shunsho.

Despite the loose trousers and lack of sandals he is wearing a quite fashionable at the time over kimono, obi knotted in a male style, and stylish accessories. 

the beautiful boys again

Here's an 18th century print of a fashionable young Edo townsman carrying a lantern as he walks along a snow covered path to meet a lover. Yes this is a young man. Note the hair arrangement bound without combs and the plaid pattern on his outer robe a nd the tip of the one blade allowed to townsmen showing below his robe. Hakama were for more formal occassions!

Yoshitsune 3

#yoshitsune #ukiyo-e #japaneseprints

one more Yoshitsune print ! This is by #Yoshitoshi and shows the famous fight between #Benkei and a very young Yoshitsune at Gojo Bridge in Kyoto.

Given that Benkei was suppoe to be a warrior monk and Yoshitsune exiled to a temple this is probably not the clothes they may have actually worn. This is what a 19th century artist believed a Heian warrior monk and a young male aristocrat would have worn. Most of the detail may be fairly accurate though given depictions in scrolls with earlier dating.

Yoshitoshi has definitely gone for the beautiful boy look and it is a consistent theme used in other prints that Benkei is shown as very macho in contrast to Yoshitsune.

Yoshitsune as an Ideal of male beauty - Two

#yoshitsune regardless of however he actually looked like was idealised by later generations 

This is an actor playing him as a character in a #kabuki play in a very elegant costume. I think that the actor is wearing a wig meant to imply this is Yoshistsune as a young man as the hair is down and long BUT possibly yoshitsune as an older man semi retired. I am not sure which play this is from?

Note the aristocratic elegance and how #Kunisada saw late Heian era costume as depicted on stage.

Yoshitsune as an Ideal of male beauty _ One

#japaneseprints #ukiyo-e 

#yoshitsune is often depicted as an ideal of male beauty and often by contrasting him as a youth to #Benkei as in this #kiyonaga print

 

An EDO MALE fashionista

#ukiyo-e #edo #fashion 

While #bijinga is a frequent subject of #ukiyo-e prints fashionable young townsmen were also a theme!

This young fashion conscious Edo resident is depicted wearing a kimono with detailed imagery of the gods of thunder and lightning. 

The indigo coloring suggests this may be a summer yukata.

more of the boys next time!

The Beautiful Boy - One

You know what #bijinga is ? All those paintings and prints of courtesans geisha princesses and poets?

Lets' look at the boys ! Also later in the series some good looking guys!

I love this print by #Koryusai of a very handsome young samurai clearly with a crush on the equally pretty teahouse girl serving him? 

I'll also be looking at prints of famous poets and courtiers and others!