Scene uit het Noh theaterstuk "Suehirogari" Possibly 1898

Curator: Welcome to the Rijksmuseum. We’re standing before “Scene uit het Noh theaterstuk “Suehirogari””, a woodcut print by Tsukioka Kōgyo, likely created around 1898. It’s a striking example of ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world.” Editor: My immediate impression is one of almost comedic lightness. The figures seem to be floating across the paper, their costumes billowing. And that small image of lovers entwined on a handheld fan floating at the upper-right intrigues me. It also is oddly staged. Curator: Precisely! Tsukioka Kōgyo specialized in Noh prints, meticulously documenting this highly stylized and ritualized form of Japanese theater. This particular scene derives from the Noh play “Suehirogari”, focusing on the character of a servant called Tarōkaja who is deceived. Editor: So, we are looking at a critical reflection of social structure and gender relationships. Who gets tricked and why? Where does the humor sit in the representation, with the wealthy protagonist, or perhaps subversively with the servant who attempts deceit? I wonder how contemporary viewers might interpret this visual storytelling of power dynamics embedded within Noh. Curator: Absolutely. The choice to represent the figures in such an abstracted, almost playful manner while hinting at deception creates a tension. It invites us to consider the roles within Noh theater and their reflection, or perhaps critique, of societal norms at the turn of the century. Ukiyo-e prints gained popularity with the merchant classes. The figures and composition of the print indicate much about what the ruling class would and wouldn’t display in art. Editor: Thinking about how the materiality and the role this type of image had, the prints also functioned as accessible artworks in a period of increasing industrialization. They bridged high and low culture, theatre and common life, ritual and daily existence. Curator: It's precisely this synthesis of traditional form and contemporary relevance that makes Tsukioka Kōgyo’s work so compelling, even now. He managed to capture both the aesthetics of Noh theater and the subtle social commentary inherent within these classical performances. Editor: It gives you much to consider in terms of the representation of characters as signifiers of socio-economic roles. A wonderful window into late 19th-century Japanese performance, its public role, and private reception.