Actor Segawa Kikujirō AS A YOUNG GIRL Edo period,

Curator: This print by Katsukawa Shunsho depicts the actor Segawa Kikujiro as a young girl. There’s a delicacy here, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Oh, absolutely, the pastel palette exudes gentleness, but there's also a strange tension, as if she's holding her breath. The way she's glancing over her shoulder suggests a secret. Curator: The patterns, the circles on the outer robe, the floral motifs, they feel very deliberate, almost like clues to a hidden narrative. Editor: They carry the weight of generations. Circle patterns speak of continuity, while the flowers, perhaps cherry blossoms, evoke the fleeting beauty of life. They add a layer of symbolism to what might seem a simple portrait. Curator: And the fact that it's a male actor playing a female role adds another layer, blurring the lines of identity and performance. It's like a hall of mirrors. Editor: Indeed. It's fascinating how a single image can hold so many layers of meaning, whispered across centuries. Curator: It makes you wonder what stories those fabrics could tell, if only they could speak.