Actors Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō 7th and Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō 8th by Mirror Stand, with poems by Bunkyosha Hazemaro and Bunkaisha Meiko c. 1815 - 1830

Editor: This is Utagawa Kunisada's print of the actors Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō VII and VIII by a mirror stand. It's so stylized, and the costumes are very striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Look closely at the actor’s face. The dramatic makeup, or *kumadori*, signifies specific character traits and emotions. What feelings does it evoke in you? Editor: It feels almost otherworldly, powerful. Curator: Exactly! The Ichikawa Danjuro line were known for their *aragoto* style, a bombastic, exaggerated acting style. Kunisada captures that legacy here, linking father and son through this shared visual language. Notice the poems, too. What do they add? Editor: A layer of cultural context, linking the image to contemporary appreciation? Curator: Precisely. Symbols connect us to the past, reminding us of shared histories and meanings. This has broadened my perception.