Actor Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō 5th as Matsuōmaru in the Play Sugawara DenjÅ« Tenarai Kagami c. 1780s

Curator: This striking woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunko depicts the actor Ichikawa Danjuro V in the role of Matsuomaru. The Harvard Art Museums house this particular impression. Editor: He looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders! The tension in his face is remarkable for such a simple composition. Curator: Indeed. Woodblock prints like this were relatively inexpensive, allowing a wide audience to engage with Kabuki theatre and the cult of celebrity surrounding its stars. Consider the labor involved; the carving, the printing, the distribution. It’s a complex system of cultural production. Editor: Yes, and Shunko really captured the drama, hasn't he? That heavy robe, the tense grip—it's all so evocative. I can almost hear the music and the roar of the crowd. Curator: Absolutely. Thinking about the materials themselves—the paper, the inks—and how they were sourced, processed, and utilized reveals a fascinating story about 18th-century Japanese society and its relationship to art and commerce. Editor: I see him now not just as an actor, but a symbol of a whole world, its artistry and its commerce interlinked. Curator: Exactly. These seemingly simple prints were deeply embedded in the social and economic fabric of their time.