Actor Nakamura Kichiemon I as Otokonosuke 1931

Natori Shunsen made this print of the actor Nakamura Kichiemon I as Otokonosuke, but we don't know exactly when. Look at how flat everything is. It's like a coloring book, but way more intense. The colors here are really striking, especially that pinky-orange face against the dark background. It's all about surface, with each color neatly blocked off from the others. The costume has this insane geometric pattern that's both loud and controlled. It's like the artist is saying, "I can handle all this visual information at once." Notice the lines – they're so crisp and clean. It's as if each one was carefully considered and laid down with purpose. I'm drawn to the area around the eyes, how those black lines define the face and give it so much character. The contrast is everything. This print reminds me a bit of Warhol’s pop art screen prints. It captures a moment, an emotion, or a persona, and makes it larger than life. There's a controlled energy here, a sense of performance, that keeps me looking.