University of Pittsburgh Library System

The University of Pittsburgh Library System received a significant gift from Pitt alumni Barry and Elizabeth Rosensteel of Japanese woodblock prints to add to the existing collection curated by Archives & Special Collections. The donation comprises 130 masterpieces by 25 artists depicting outstanding portraits of Kabuki actors and women. The earliest prints are two portraits of women by Torii Kiyonobu (1664-1729), both made in 1690 and using no other color than black. Known as sumizuri-e, these black ink prints are valuable for showing the early days of Japanese woodblock printmaking. Other prints dating from the 1750s to the 1810s comprise benizuri-e, or red ink prints with red, green, and yellow added to sumizuri-e before the prints became nishiki-e, or multicolor prints. This new addition shows the evolution of Japanese woodblock prints over 150 years.  

The donated prints include works by artists from three schools specializing in portraits of Kabuki actors and women. The largest group of prints are by Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1793), the founder of the Katsukawa school, and his disciples. Shunshō pioneered the use of likeness-style drawings to capture the characteristics of individual Kabuki actors. Other prints are by Torii Kiyonobu, the founder of the Torii school, and his disciples. Kiyonobu's prints are the two sumizuri-e mentioned above, and his disciples' other prints are benizuri-e. The donation included prints by Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825) and his disciples. The Utagawa school was one of the most influential woodblock artist schools. While there is a broad representation of artists, it is interesting to note the significant number of pieces by a select few. 

The Rosensteel Japanese Print Collection now contains 430 prints, most of which date from the late 1700s to the first half of the 1800s and represent the work of over 40 artists. This incredible collection of woodblock prints offers a glimpse into Japanese culture during the Edo period (1603-1867) and showcases part of Japan's rich art history. In addition to portraits of Kabuki actors and women, it includes prints of landscapes, warriors, and wildlife. Prints by Paul Jacoulet (1896–1960), a French woodblock print artist, also add another exciting dimension to the collection. The ULS plans to digitize the most recently acquired prints to add to the hundreds that are currently available online in the Barry Rosensteel Japanese Print Collection. 

Header Image - Actor Ōtani Hiroji III by Ippitsusai, Bunchō (1725-1794), ca 1770