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Tōshūsai Sharaku was a Japanese ukiyo-e print designer, known for his portraits of kabuki actors. Neither his true name nor the dates of his birth or death are known. 
His active career as a woodblock artist spanned ten months; his prolific work met disapproval and his output came to an end as suddenly and mysteriously as it had begun.
Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a classical Japanese dance-drama.
According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Sharaku was renowned for creating visually bold prints that gave rare revealing glimpses into the world of kabuki."
"He was not only able to capture the essential qualities of kabuki characters, but his prints also reveal, often with unflattering realism, the personalities of the actors who were famous for performing them."
"Unlike earlier masters, Sharaku did not idealize his subjects or attempt to portray them realistically. Rather, he exaggerated facial features and strove for psychological realism."
Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Nagoya Sanza; Ichikawa Ebizō as Kudō Saemon Suketsune and Onoe Matsusuke as Ashikaga Tukauji.
