Kumadori

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Japanese woodcut of Torii Kiyotada, actor with Kumadori Kabuki makeup. May 1896.

Kumadori ( Japanese 隈 取 ) is the Japanese term for the mask-like make - up used by actors in Kabuki theater.

This style of makeup is very distinctive; it was probably invented by Ichikawa Danjūrō ​​I. for his Aragoto characters, although its actual origin is unclear. Kumadori consists of a white or pink make-up base, which is complemented with strong red, blue or brown lines or a little black. The purpose of the lines is to clearly define and emphasize as much as possible the facial muscles that are intended to produce the intended expression. This was very helpful even when there was no electric light. The sharp lines are applied with a brush and then deliberately blurred by the actor with his finger in order to match them to the base color applied there at the transition. This makes for a realistic line that is supposed to resemble the veins. Another aspect of the colors of the kumadori is that the red color used for the heroes gives them an expression as if they were imbued with a sense of righteousness and indignation, while the blue that the villains wear make them appear cold-blooded leaves. Unfortunately, none of the kumadori used by Danjūrō ​​I. has survived.

The oldest known Kumadori style that is still in use today is the saruguma , which was worn by the actor Nakamura Denkurō I when playing the character Asahina in 1690 at Nakamura-za in Edo. One of the finest styles is the mukimiguma , which was worn in the role of Sukeroku . Sukeroku's character has a very human side and he is less than fantastic, so only the lips and eyes are highlighted in this makeup. The makeup of Kamakura Gongoro and his opponent Takehira from the piece Shibaraku, on the other hand, are perfect examples of a very eccentric kumadori. Gongoro wears the red sujiguma style of the superhero, while Takehira wears the blue hannyaguma style, which is typical of the kugeaku , the aristocratic villains. While red and blue - always with a bit of black at certain points - are the main colors, the demons, like the Tsuchigumo spider in the piece of the same name and the demoness from the Momijigari, have a brown kumadori.

literature

  • Ronald Cavaye: A Guide to the Japanese Stage - From Traditional to Cutting Edge . Kodansha, Tokyo 2005, ISBN 978-4-77002987-4 (English, available from Google Books).

Web links

Commons : Kumadori  - collection of images, videos and audio files