The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as Enya Hangan (?) in the Play Kanadehon Chushin Nagori no Kura (?), Performed at the Nakamura Theater (?) in the Ninth Month, 1780 (?) c. 1780

Katsukawa Shunko made this woodblock print in 1780, depicting the actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as Enya Hangan in a Kabuki play staged at the Nakamura Theater. Ukiyo-e prints, like this one, offer a window into the floating world of Edo-period Japan. Kabuki theater was a vital part of this culture, a space where social norms could be both reinforced and challenged. Shunko, as an artist, was part of a lineage tied to specific theatrical families, producing images that both celebrated and critiqued the spectacle of the stage. The actor’s downcast expression, combined with the sharp lines of his costume, highlight the emotional intensity of the scene, drawing viewers into the drama. The play itself, "Kanadehon Chūshingura," is based on a real-life incident involving a lord who was forced to commit ritual suicide after attacking a court official, prompting his retainers to avenge his death. It resonates with the social values of loyalty, honor, and sacrifice, which were central to the samurai code. Studying theater programs, playbills, and social commentaries from the period helps us understand how these prints functioned within the broader social and institutional contexts of 18th-century Japan.