De acteur Ichikawa Manzo als poppenspeler c. 1734

Nishimura Shigenobu created this woodblock print, 'The Actor Ichikawa Manzo as a Puppeteer', in the 1730s. The composition balances the figure of the actor against the linear elements of the building. Note how Shigenobu uses horizontal lines to define space, creating a stage-like setting. The actor holds a box—a miniature theater—blurring the boundaries between performer and puppeteer. The colors, muted yet deliberate, emphasize the artificiality of the scene. The actor's stylized pose and facial expression contribute to the artwork's self-conscious theatricality. This print challenges conventional notions of representation and identity. The actor embodies multiple roles—performer, manipulator, and character—destabilizing fixed meanings. The work suggests a complex interplay of layers and artifice, inviting contemplation of the fluidity of identity within the structured world of the theater. Ultimately, the visual structure underscores how identity is not fixed but performed, constructed through layers of artifice and representation. The print invites us to consider the ways in which we construct our own identities and how they are perceived.