The Actor Segawa Kikunojo II as the nun Seigen c. 1762

Torii Kiyomitsu created this woodblock print, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, depicting the actor Segawa Kikunojo II as the nun Seigen. The shaved head and simple robes of the nun, Seigen, present a striking visual contrast to the elaborate kimono, powdered face, and stylized wig of the actor who plays her. Consider, for example, how performers throughout Europe embodied characters from other social classes. These symbolic garments connect the temporal with the spiritual, reminding us of the cyclical nature of human experience. As a motif, the figure of the nun is powerful, resonating across cultures and centuries. It’s a symbol of spiritual devotion, yet it also embodies the tensions between the earthly and the divine, the body and the spirit. One can trace her echoes in the veiled Madonnas of Renaissance painting or the tragic heroines of Greek drama. The artist captures a moment of introspection, evoking empathy for the emotional journey of this character. The symbolic weight of the nun resonates in our collective memory, inviting us to contemplate the timeless drama of human existence.