De acteur Nakamura Ganjiro II in de rol van Kamiya Jihei 1952

This is a woodblock print by Natori Shunsen, who was born in 1886. The image is of the actor Nakamura Ganjiro II, portraying Kamiya Jihei. I like the layering of blue tones, how the blue lines of the robe contrast with the blue markings on the white headscarf, and the smooth gradient of the grey background behind. He looks right through you, doesn’t he? I wonder how Shunsen felt, staring so intently at his subject, trying to capture his essence in line and color. These prints are so different from painting, but both involve a process of layering, of slowly building up an image. Though instead of a brush, Shunsen has a carving knife, carefully chiseling away at the wood to create the lines. It's amazing how artists, working in different places and times, can still be in conversation with each other, don’t you think? Each one building on what came before, adding their own unique voice to the mix.