Flowers- Actor Bandō Shuka I as the evil Omatsu Possibly 1852

This woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts actor Bandō Shuka I as the evil Omatsu. These actor prints, known as yakusha-e, were immensely popular in Japan’s Edo period, which provided a vital space for the creation of identity, particularly around class and gender. Here, we see a male actor performing as a woman. This practice was common due to restrictions placed on women performing on stage. Kunisada captures the actor in a moment of high drama, embodying the character of Omatsu. Her face is a mask of stylized emotion, reflecting the exaggerated expressions of kabuki theater. The beauty of the cherry blossoms, falling around her, contrasts with the darkness of her role. It asks us to consider the complex intersection of gender, performance, and representation within the cultural landscape of Edo Japan. The print serves as a powerful reminder of the fluidity of identity, and the ways in which art can both reflect and challenge societal norms. It also evokes the ephemeral nature of theater, where identities are assumed and discarded, leaving us to ponder the nature of performance itself.