Ōta MASAMITSU (1892 – 1975)

MASAMITSU

Ota MASAMITSU (also known as Ōta Gako, 1892 - 1975) was one of the masters of the Shin-hanga art movement. Masamitsu’s work depict mostly kabuki actors and highlight the individual personality of the actors. In his portraits, he is using rich colours and detailed patterns.

In 1931, the first series of actors Kabuki juhachiban (Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays) got published by Danjūrō Ichikawa. His two most important series of actor prints, Figures of the Showa Stage (Showa Butai Sugata, 1950) and Figures of the Modern Stage in Their Most Famous Roles (Gendai Butai Geika, 1955), were published by Banchoro. Masamitsu also illustrated Kabuki Costume by Ruth Shaver, published in 1966.

All of these works show realistic shadings and passion for details, especially in hands, faces, and cloths, achieved through the use of western techniques of perspective as common in Shin-hanga.