shibaraku 暫

Keywords
Art History
Painting

A pictorial subject taken from the *kabuki 歌舞伎 play by the same name, named for the climactic moment when the hero shouts "shibaraku" (just a moment) from off-stage before boldly striding down the walkway *hanamichi 花道 to the stage. One of the *kabuki jūhachiban 歌舞伎十八番, the play was first performed in Kyoto in 1694 by Ichikawa Danjūrō 市川団十郎 (1660-1701). The plot revolves around the evil lord Uke ウケ who is about to kill members of a clan whose territory he has just taken, when the hero arrives, kills the rapacious lord, and frees the grateful captives. Shibaraku is famous for the hero's striking red over white make-up, huge wig, and outer robe with the Ichikawa crest. Shibaraku was depicted by various *ukiyo-e 浮世絵 artists in *yakusha-e 役者絵 as well as *ōkubi-e 大首絵. A notable example is the Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春好 (1743-1812) Shibaraku performed by Ichikawa Ebizō 市川海老蔵.