Memorial Portrait of the Actor Onoe Kikugoro IV 1860

This memorial portrait of the actor Onoe Kikugoro IV was made as a woodblock print in Japan, likely shortly after his death. The actor is shown in the guise of a woman, perhaps in reference to one of his famous roles. The image creates meaning through visual codes that would have been immediately recognizable to contemporary audiences. The portrait's style and the accompanying text imitates memorial prints of Buddhist monks, signaling the high esteem in which actors like Onoe were held in Japanese society. Despite legal restrictions and the low social status of actors in the Edo period, performers became cultural icons whose popularity rivaled that of the samurai class. Kabuki theater offered ordinary people an important space for entertainment and self-expression. To understand this print better, we might consult playbills, diaries, and government records. We can also research the institutional histories of Kabuki theater, which was closely monitored and regulated by the state. By studying these sources, we can appreciate how art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.