De acteur Nakamura Utaemon in de rol van Osono. 1825

Shunkōsai Hokushū created this woodblock print depicting the actor Nakamura Utaemon, embodying the character Osono. During the Edo period in Japan, Kabuki theater served as a dynamic stage for exploring themes of identity, social roles and gender. Here, the male actor Nakamura Utaemon plays a female character, which was common due to women being banned from performing. These depictions often challenged rigid societal norms through cross-gender casting. In this print, Osono is framed by a fan, almost as if she is both revealed and protected by its form, inviting us to consider the complexities of performance. What does it mean to embody a role, and how does that affect our understanding of self and others? This print serves not only as a piece of history but also as a reflection on the fluidity of identity, representation, and the emotional dimensions of performance.