Ichiikawa Chusha in the role of Mitsuhide 1926

Natori Shunsen made this woodblock print of Ichiikawa Chusha in the role of Mitsuhide. The face is striking with its white and blue makeup, and the dark eyebrows create an expression of intense concentration. I'm thinking about how the artist approached the block printing process, carefully carving the wood to create those lines of the face, the hair, and the costume. I imagine the artist, Shunsen, considering each mark, deciding where to add detail and where to leave space. You can see the layering of colors, the way they interact to create depth and texture. The lines are so deliberate and the details in the costume suggest hours of work and so much care! It makes me think about the work of other printmakers like Utamaro and Hokusai, who also captured the beauty and drama of Japanese life. There's a real conversation happening across time! And that’s how artists get inspired and keep making work.