Katsukawa Shunkō (1743–1812), Actor Onoe Matsusuke I as Retired Emperor Sutoku, about 1780

The Golden Age of Kabuki Prints, Art Institute of Chicago
Last day June 26
The Kabuki theater district of 18th-century Edo (modern-day Tokyo) was one of the centers of urban life. At the theater, people could escape the rigid confines of a society controlled by the shogunal government and watch their favorite actors perform in dramas that were often based on ancient historical events and myths. The drama of Kabuki theater was most successfully conveyed in the prints of the Katsukawa School of artists because they captured the individual characteristics of each actor. Founded by Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792), the Katsukawa school included several prominent artists, including Katsukawa Shunkō (1743–1812) and Shun’ei (1762–1819). This exhibition includes examples by all three of these artists and is drawn from the more than 700 Katsukawa School prints in the Art Institute’s collection.

Senju, Waterfall, 2019

Senju's Waterfall for Chicago
Last day June 26
These enchanting painted screens are the work and a gift of Senju (born 1958), a contemporary proponent of Nihonga, traditional Japanese painting. Known for his signature Waterfall works, Senju created the panels on view at the Art Institute specifically for the museum’s Gallery 109, the space designed by architect Andō Tadao. Thinking of the exhibition as a collaboration between himself and the architect through time, Senju tailored the scale and lighting to best suit this distinctive space.

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