Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 - Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V as Sakata Kintoki in the Play Raikō’s Four Intrepid - 11th month, 1781 - STICKER Vinyl Kiss-Cut Decal

Katsukawa Shunshō's 1781 ukiyo-e woodblock print freezes Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō V in the role of Sakata Kintoki, a legendary retainer brought to life on the Edo stage.

Visual Elements & Composition

The half-length seated figure fills a tall vertical rectangle, wrapped in voluminous black robes that dominate the sheet. Against that dark mass, a large white crest character, 金 (kin), is the clearest mark of identity. A pipe rests in the actor's mouth, and a bamboo blind hangs behind him in cream, pale yellow and grey. A diamond crest and touches of salmon red keep the palette restrained, and the artist's signature, 春章, appears on the print.

Meaning & Symbolism

The play, Shitenno tonoi no kisewata (Raikō's Four Intrepid Retainers in the Costume of the Night Watch), draws on Japanese folklore about the warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu, known as Raikō, and the four retainers who served him. Kintoki was one of them, a folk hero Edo audiences knew well. The crest in the robe names him directly, so the costume carries the story without a caption. Shunshō's print belongs to the Edo period, when ukiyo-e turned Kabuki stars into collectible images, and the stylized, intense expression captures the theatre's dramatic energy.

On the Kiss-Cut Sticker

A kiss-cut sticker is cut to its own outline, so the black robe and the white 金 read as the image itself, with no border around the figure. That suits a bold silhouette like this one: the robes form a single dark shape, and the crest becomes the focal point. The sticker is made for smooth flat surfaces such as laptops, journals and windows, and for spicing up indoor decor. Fans of Kabuki and Edo woodblock prints will spot the crest at once, making this a sticker for collectors who want the theatre close at hand.